Person Who Has a Penis (PWHP), also known as Individual Who Has a Penis (IWHP), Person Having Penis (PHP), Penile Person (PEP), Person of Penis (POP), or Individual of Penis (IOP), is a term for anyone who has a penis, regardless of gender identity.[1]
This can include those who were born with a penis and those who had gender-affirming surgery to create a penis. This can apply to most cisgender men, some non-binary individuals, transgender women who are transine or pre-transition, some intersex individuals, transgender men and transmasculine individuals who have had gender-affirming srugery, and some transsex or altersex women.[1]
History
The term was coined by LGBTA Wiki user Cryptocrew on March 13, 2021, possibly through the creation of the page on the LGBTA Wiki. The first terms were POP and IOP, but the alternatives of PWHP, PHP and PEP were coined by Wiki user foreigntoolmaker on September 30, due to some individuals being uncomfortable with the wording.[2][3][1]
The term was created to combat the idea that having a penis is what makes someone a man, as well as to promote gender-neutral language and terms. The term can be used to describe genitalia in medical situations, such as sex education, where describing individuals as "male" can exclude the experiences of intersex and transgender individuals.[1]
Flags & Symbols
The PWHP flag was designed by Tumblr user genderstarbucks on March 17, 2024. The indigo represents individuals who were assigned male at birth, the purple represents intersex individuals who were assigned male at birth, the violet represents intersex individuals, the white represents transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, the pink represents trans women and transfeminine individuals, the light blue represents trans men and transmasculine individuals, and the dark blue represents cis men and cismasculine individuals.[4]
Related Terms
| Label | Relationship | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wolffian | Similar | A term that refers to those whose fetal development favored the Wolffian ducts. |
| Person Who Has Neither | Counterpart | A term for anyone who does not have a penis or vagina, regardless of gender identity. |
| Person Who Has a Vagina | Counterpart | A term for anyone who has a vagina, regardless of gender identity. |
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 LGBTQIA+ Wiki. “PWHP - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 8 Oct. 2024, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHP. Accessed 10 June 2025.
- ↑ ---. “PWHP - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 14 Mar. 2021, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHP?oldid=73845. Accessed 10 June 2025.
- ↑ ---. “PWHP - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 30 Sept. 2021, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHP?oldid=73855. Accessed 10 June 2025.
- ↑ genderstarbucks. “Drafts: 271 | Inbox: 260 (Requests Open but Slow).” Tumblr, 18 Mar. 2024, www.tumblr.com/genderstarbucks/745247654879035392/pwhp-people-who-have-penises-or-iwhp.