Hello! I am someone who is wanting to write a gender fluid character as one of the main side characters. But I have no experience, nor anyone in my life to ask about these things.
So, a few questions if you have time to answer! :)
Note: this is a high fantasy story with a younger androgynous elf healer who's still discovering things about their gender as the character. They don't feel as if they properly fall into either category, but have a rather indifferent feeling about being referred to as either gender at any time because they just want to do their job.
What does shifting between genders feel like for you?
Is it slow, instant?
Does it last hours, days?
Is it ever distinctly only feminine or masculine or is it always a combination in some form?
Does your experience with the gender you were assigned at birth differ now that you identify differently? Or (Example) if you were a male at birth, do you still have the same experience when you're feeling more masculine?
What specific situations do you tend to shift to one or the other?
This may be seem like a stereotype, but it's a genuine question to try and learn. Do you shift to a more masculine feeling when you need to be "tougher" or "stronger" in the face of a difficult situation, or do you stick where you are?
How can dysphoria affect day-to-day life?
Anything else you would like to add to the gender fluid experience to be represented properly! I know it's different for everyone, but I don't want to just throw something out blindly with actually hearing people's stories. If anything is wildly off, please feel free to kindly correct me :)