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Other than the Q (who can change their appearance at will, so it's hardly convincing), it seems that "male" and "female" only appear to be functions of physical beings in the Star Trek universe. Are energy beings, such as Organians, Douwd, and Calamarain, etc., above having different "genders"?

True, the Douwd, Trelane, Organians, etc., can appear to be humanoid males, but is the essence of the energy creature a particular gender?

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The Companion, the Energy Creature that kept Zefram Cochrane alive in TOS was female. (TOS, Metamorphosis). It was a major plot point.

The same is true of Sargon and the survivors of the ancient race in TOS Return To Tomorrow, saved in the orbs. At the end, the one remaining male and female entities become independent of their containers like an energy being.

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I would assume that any elemental/ethereal being of a higher dimension would relinquish their gender, because they would no longer have use for such appendages upon such astral planes of existence, for they are among the god form. Therefore making procreation through interaction obsolete. They choose to reveal themselves as they see fit, nothing more, nothing less.

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    Trelane apparently had "parents," however.
    – user30592
    Commented Aug 20, 2014 at 17:20
  • Upon reading this en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Trelane My above statement still stands. Perhaps they appeared to kirk as parents because the Trelane knew he would understand the circumstances better, and thus being a little more forgiving.
    – user31868
    Commented Aug 20, 2014 at 17:49
  • They would relinquish their physical sex, but would they relinquish their gender?
    – Matt Gutting
    Commented Aug 20, 2014 at 18:48
  • I think I might be thinking more of a metaphysical technicality, rather than how the Creators of Star Trek may have intended them to be. I am thinking that, since they are elemental beings, as to them having powers to 'shape-shift' or at least project mental images to those around them as being Human, I see them more of a higher life form. Energy is just that, you can mold it to whatever you want it to be, especially if you're a life-form solely of energy.
    – user31868
    Commented Aug 20, 2014 at 20:11
  • @GeistvonPA True; but if they always "want it to be", say, a female form, would it be appropriate to say that they're female, or at any rate feminine?
    – Matt Gutting
    Commented Aug 21, 2014 at 0:43