During Non-Binary Awareness week, 14 July is dedicated to celebrating our non-binary colleagues, friends, and family alike for International Non-Binary People’s Day.
Falling at the midpoint between International Women’s Day (8 March) and International Men’s Day (19 November), International Non-Binary People’s Day originated in 2012 to represent the spectrum of nonbinary gender identities that fall between and outside of the binary norm.
To help us honour and raise awareness for International Non-Binary People’s Day, we asked some of our non-binary colleagues to share what non-binary visibility means to them…
What does non-Binary mean?
Excellently defined by Stonewall Charity: “Non-binary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.
Non-binary people can feel that their gender identity and gender experience involves being both a man and a woman, or that it is fluid, in between, or completely outside of that binary.”
As the spectrum encompasses numerous identities, what does Non-Binary mean to you?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Non-binary is an umbrella term for all those who identify outside of the gender binary of Male and female. I remember going to school discos as a kid and whenever the Grease medley came on, I would always run from the girl’s side to the boy’s side and back again. I never knew where I was meant to be. As an adult, I can see now that I was exactly where I was meant to be!
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
Just the usual definition, really. That is to say, it’s simply an identity that does not conform to the idea/belief that all individuals are exclusively male or female when referring specifically to gender. It encompasses any and all identities that fall outside (or somewhere between) binary genders, such as genderqueer and genderfluid.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
Non-binary to me is freedom of expression regardless of gender norms introduced by society. Growing up, I never understood why women’s and men’s clothing were separated as I would often mix and match from both sections in order to feel the most comfortable. As I got to being a teenager however, the divide got steeper until I was introduced to the term non-binary which helped me feel more comfortable with myself!
What pronouns do non-binary people use?
As non-binary includes all those who sit between or outside of the binary genders, there are many pronouns out there that each individual feels comfortable using - as there is no singular way to be non-binary.
The best way to understand how to make others feel comfortable would be to ask what preferred pronouns they may use! This could include the use of ‘They/Them’, while others may also use ‘He/Him’ or ‘She/Her’ and still identify as non-binary. Additionally, many feel comfortable with combinations of pronouns such as ‘They/He’ or ‘She/They’.
In recent years, new pronouns have arisen with the increase of safety and understanding. This can include Xe/Xem/Xyrs, Ze/Hir/Hirs, Ze/Zir/Zirs and E/Em/Eir – all of which have been added to our customer management system to ensure our customers are represented in the way they want to be.
We recently learnt that there is a non-binary flag, can you tell us what this represents?
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
The flag was created in 2014. Each colour representing a different facet of the Non-Binary umbrella – yellow for those whose gender exists outside of the binary, purple for those whose gender is a mix of male and female, black for agender or those who do not have a gender and white for those who identify with many or all genders.
Why is it important to raise awareness of the challenges faced by non-binary individuals?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assitant
There have always been gender non-conforming people and there always will be. It’s important to show that this is not a fad. Countries like: Iceland, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina, and Nepal legally recognise non-binary people and even some communities in the Pacific islands, South Asia and Native American tribes consider those outside the gender binary as legitimate citizens of their society.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
Mainly because so many people don’t take it seriously and/or just don’t understand what it means. Despite there being archaeological evidence that suggests non-binary and/or gender non-conforming individuals have been existence for thousands of years, it’s often treated as a new phenomenon. Sex and gender are often terms used interchangeably despite being separate things, which causes further confusion, especially for legislation. Even within the LGBTQIA+ community, enbies can face discrimination sometimes even from other trans people.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
With the identity being so vast, many struggle with understanding the terms and pronouns people prefer to use. I believe that with more awareness, understanding will come with time, alongside acceptance that each person lives as they feel happiest and most comfortable. Non-binary is far from a new identity, and this has been shown throughout history with several countries in the world accepting it legally, even North American tribes who use the term ‘Two-Spirit’ and consider these people to be hard workers and artistically gifted, with great value to their communities.
The UK government is yet to legally recognise non-binary people, what impact does this have?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Non-binary people fall into a category that is not covered by anti-discrimination laws and therefore can be vulnerable without proper legal protection. Non-binary people also have a higher rate of depression and suicidality, which doesn’t help if you are not even recognised as a valid human in society like everyone else.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
It’s less that they are yet to legally recognise and more of an out-right refusal to do so.
In 2018, there was a consultation on a reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), where the government claimed:
“The Government wants individuals who identify as non-binary to be able to live discrimination-free lives in accordance with who they believe their true selves to be. We are working to determine what action may be necessary for Government to take in order to achieve this.”
In 2021; however:
“We have been clear in the response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation in September 2020 that there are no plans to make changes to the 2004 Act.”
These two statements, in my opinion, are completely at odds with each other. Non-binary people cannot live discrimination-free lives when their own government doesn’t recognise them. Any legal documentation asks you to include your gender but only gives you “M” or “F” as an option. It is illegal to knowingly record incorrect information; however, as a non-binary person I essentially have to “lie”.
In legislation, “gender” and “sex” seem to basically be used interchangeably, which only serves to confuse and muddy things.
What can we do to support people that identify as non-binary?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Use their preferred name and pronouns. It might be difficult to change language and there will be slip ups – It’s ok to just quickly correct yourself and move on.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
There are so many big and small things.
- Be respectful and try not to make assumptions (and please remember it’s not a “choice”).
- Do your best to address and refer to non-binary people with their preferred pronouns (and correct others whether they’re there or not).
- If you do make a mistake, correct yourself and move on. Please don’t say how “hard it is” for you to get it right/get used to it as that can send the message that the “inconvenience” of changing your way of speaking is of greater importance than respecting your fellow human, even if you don’t mean it that way.
- If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, you can ask. Alternatively you could offer your own pronouns first as this is a great way to show an enby that you’re a safe person to be around.
- Use inclusive language to refer to a group of people. Instead of “ladies and gentlemen”, opt for something inclusive like “folks”, “people”, or “everyone”.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
Understand that everyone is different, whether they’re cisgender, transgender, nonbinary or two-spirit. Allow us the room to express ourselves and respect the pronouns we wish to use, as that goes a long way!
There are always bound to be slip ups, especially with new pronouns and often new names, however if you apologise and correct yourself with genuine care, no harm is done, and it makes the community feel a lot safer and happier.
💛🤍💜🖤
Thank you to joining us to learn more about International Non-Binary People’s Day!
Together we can create a world without boundaries - where individuals who don’t fall into the gender binary feel safe to be their most authentic self everyday.
Finally, we’d like to thank our non-binary colleagues for being open to sharing their thoughts on non-binary visibility and for giving us a brief, but important insight into non-binary perspectives.
If you’d like to read further, here are some great resources you could check out…
Stonewall Charity
10 ways to step up as an ally to non-binary people
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/10-ways-step-ally-non-binary-people
Being non-binary in the UK today
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-u...inary-uk-today
GLAAD
In Focus: Nonbinary People
https://glaad.org/reference/nonbinary/
Falling at the midpoint between International Women’s Day (8 March) and International Men’s Day (19 November), International Non-Binary People’s Day originated in 2012 to represent the spectrum of nonbinary gender identities that fall between and outside of the binary norm.
To help us honour and raise awareness for International Non-Binary People’s Day, we asked some of our non-binary colleagues to share what non-binary visibility means to them…
What does non-Binary mean?
Excellently defined by Stonewall Charity: “Non-binary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.
Non-binary people can feel that their gender identity and gender experience involves being both a man and a woman, or that it is fluid, in between, or completely outside of that binary.”
As the spectrum encompasses numerous identities, what does Non-Binary mean to you?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Non-binary is an umbrella term for all those who identify outside of the gender binary of Male and female. I remember going to school discos as a kid and whenever the Grease medley came on, I would always run from the girl’s side to the boy’s side and back again. I never knew where I was meant to be. As an adult, I can see now that I was exactly where I was meant to be!
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
Just the usual definition, really. That is to say, it’s simply an identity that does not conform to the idea/belief that all individuals are exclusively male or female when referring specifically to gender. It encompasses any and all identities that fall outside (or somewhere between) binary genders, such as genderqueer and genderfluid.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
Non-binary to me is freedom of expression regardless of gender norms introduced by society. Growing up, I never understood why women’s and men’s clothing were separated as I would often mix and match from both sections in order to feel the most comfortable. As I got to being a teenager however, the divide got steeper until I was introduced to the term non-binary which helped me feel more comfortable with myself!
What pronouns do non-binary people use?
As non-binary includes all those who sit between or outside of the binary genders, there are many pronouns out there that each individual feels comfortable using - as there is no singular way to be non-binary.
The best way to understand how to make others feel comfortable would be to ask what preferred pronouns they may use! This could include the use of ‘They/Them’, while others may also use ‘He/Him’ or ‘She/Her’ and still identify as non-binary. Additionally, many feel comfortable with combinations of pronouns such as ‘They/He’ or ‘She/They’.
In recent years, new pronouns have arisen with the increase of safety and understanding. This can include Xe/Xem/Xyrs, Ze/Hir/Hirs, Ze/Zir/Zirs and E/Em/Eir – all of which have been added to our customer management system to ensure our customers are represented in the way they want to be.
We recently learnt that there is a non-binary flag, can you tell us what this represents?
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
The flag was created in 2014. Each colour representing a different facet of the Non-Binary umbrella – yellow for those whose gender exists outside of the binary, purple for those whose gender is a mix of male and female, black for agender or those who do not have a gender and white for those who identify with many or all genders.
Why is it important to raise awareness of the challenges faced by non-binary individuals?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assitant
There have always been gender non-conforming people and there always will be. It’s important to show that this is not a fad. Countries like: Iceland, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina, and Nepal legally recognise non-binary people and even some communities in the Pacific islands, South Asia and Native American tribes consider those outside the gender binary as legitimate citizens of their society.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
Mainly because so many people don’t take it seriously and/or just don’t understand what it means. Despite there being archaeological evidence that suggests non-binary and/or gender non-conforming individuals have been existence for thousands of years, it’s often treated as a new phenomenon. Sex and gender are often terms used interchangeably despite being separate things, which causes further confusion, especially for legislation. Even within the LGBTQIA+ community, enbies can face discrimination sometimes even from other trans people.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
With the identity being so vast, many struggle with understanding the terms and pronouns people prefer to use. I believe that with more awareness, understanding will come with time, alongside acceptance that each person lives as they feel happiest and most comfortable. Non-binary is far from a new identity, and this has been shown throughout history with several countries in the world accepting it legally, even North American tribes who use the term ‘Two-Spirit’ and consider these people to be hard workers and artistically gifted, with great value to their communities.
The UK government is yet to legally recognise non-binary people, what impact does this have?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Non-binary people fall into a category that is not covered by anti-discrimination laws and therefore can be vulnerable without proper legal protection. Non-binary people also have a higher rate of depression and suicidality, which doesn’t help if you are not even recognised as a valid human in society like everyone else.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
It’s less that they are yet to legally recognise and more of an out-right refusal to do so.
In 2018, there was a consultation on a reform of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA), where the government claimed:
“The Government wants individuals who identify as non-binary to be able to live discrimination-free lives in accordance with who they believe their true selves to be. We are working to determine what action may be necessary for Government to take in order to achieve this.”
In 2021; however:
“We have been clear in the response to the Gender Recognition Act consultation in September 2020 that there are no plans to make changes to the 2004 Act.”
These two statements, in my opinion, are completely at odds with each other. Non-binary people cannot live discrimination-free lives when their own government doesn’t recognise them. Any legal documentation asks you to include your gender but only gives you “M” or “F” as an option. It is illegal to knowingly record incorrect information; however, as a non-binary person I essentially have to “lie”.
In legislation, “gender” and “sex” seem to basically be used interchangeably, which only serves to confuse and muddy things.
What can we do to support people that identify as non-binary?
K T Fry (He/They/She) – Post Room Assistant
Use their preferred name and pronouns. It might be difficult to change language and there will be slip ups – It’s ok to just quickly correct yourself and move on.
Harley Morgenstern (they/them) - Senior Revenue Protection Analyst
There are so many big and small things.
- Be respectful and try not to make assumptions (and please remember it’s not a “choice”).
- Do your best to address and refer to non-binary people with their preferred pronouns (and correct others whether they’re there or not).
- If you do make a mistake, correct yourself and move on. Please don’t say how “hard it is” for you to get it right/get used to it as that can send the message that the “inconvenience” of changing your way of speaking is of greater importance than respecting your fellow human, even if you don’t mean it that way.
- If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, you can ask. Alternatively you could offer your own pronouns first as this is a great way to show an enby that you’re a safe person to be around.
- Use inclusive language to refer to a group of people. Instead of “ladies and gentlemen”, opt for something inclusive like “folks”, “people”, or “everyone”.
Jayce Forsyth (they/them) – Void Account Manager
Understand that everyone is different, whether they’re cisgender, transgender, nonbinary or two-spirit. Allow us the room to express ourselves and respect the pronouns we wish to use, as that goes a long way!
There are always bound to be slip ups, especially with new pronouns and often new names, however if you apologise and correct yourself with genuine care, no harm is done, and it makes the community feel a lot safer and happier.
💛🤍💜🖤
Thank you to joining us to learn more about International Non-Binary People’s Day!
Together we can create a world without boundaries - where individuals who don’t fall into the gender binary feel safe to be their most authentic self everyday.
Finally, we’d like to thank our non-binary colleagues for being open to sharing their thoughts on non-binary visibility and for giving us a brief, but important insight into non-binary perspectives.
If you’d like to read further, here are some great resources you could check out…
Stonewall Charity
10 ways to step up as an ally to non-binary people
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/10-ways-step-ally-non-binary-people
Being non-binary in the UK today
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-u...inary-uk-today
GLAAD
In Focus: Nonbinary People
https://glaad.org/reference/nonbinary/
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