Folx

Folx is an alternative spelling of the word folks, used in LGBTQ+ and social-justice spaces to explicitly signal inclusion of queer, trans, and gender-expansive people, and often other marginalized communities. The swapped-in "x" follows a wider pattern of inclusive respellings, similar to how some people use Latinx. While folks is already gender neutral, supporters of folx say the deliberate change makes that inclusivity visible and intentional in writing, and some trace the term's roots to Black queer and trans communities. Merriam-Webster now lists folx, defining it as a respelling of folks used especially to explicitly signal such inclusion. The word appears most often in progressive and community organizing contexts, and opinions on its usefulness vary even within the community.