Non-binary activists

Non-binary or genderqueer gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from the sex assigned to them at birth, although some non-binary people do not consider themselves transgender.

Non-binary people may identify as an intermediate or separate third gender, identify with more than one gender or no gender, or have a fluctuating gender identity. Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation; non-binary people have various sexual orientations.

Non-binary people as a group vary in their gender expressions, and some may reject gender identity altogether. Some non-binary people receive gender-affirming care to reduce the mental distress caused by gender dysphoria, such as gender-affirming surgery or hormone replacement therapy.

Terms and definitions

The term "genderqueer" first appeared in queer zines of the 1980s, preceding the more widely used "non-binary." It gained prominence in the 1990s through activists, such as Riki Anne Wilchins, who used it in a 1995 essay and a 1997 autobiography to describe individuals deviating from traditional gender norms. By 2002, the term had further dissemination through the anthology ''Genderqueer: Voices Beyond the Sexual Binary''. The rise of the internet and public identification by celebrities brought the term "genderqueer" into mainstream awareness during the 2010s.

Genderqueer serves as both an umbrella term for non-binary identities and an adjective describing those who challenge or diverge from conventional gender distinctions, regardless of how they personally identify. It encompasses a range of expressions that transcend the binary gender categories of man and woman.

Additionally, being genderqueer is associated with gender ambiguity, and androgynous (also "androgyne") often used to describe a blend of socially defined masculine and feminine traits. However, not all genderqueer individuals identify as androgynous; some may identify with traditionally masculine or feminine traits or use alternative descriptors such as "masculine woman" or "feminine man." The term "enby," derived from the acronym NB for non-binary, is also commonly used.

Being non-binary is also not the same as being intersex. Most intersex people identify as either men or women, although some identify as only non-binary, some identify as non-binary and genderfluid, while others identify as non-binary men or non-binary women. A national UK survey conducted in 2017 found that, of 1,980 intersex respondents, 38% identified as women, 32% as men, and 25% as non-binary.

The term "transgender" often includes those who are genderqueer or non-binary, reflecting a broad spectrum of gender diversity. This inclusive usage dates back to at least 1992, with significant contributions from figures such as Leslie Feinberg and Kate Bornstein, who emphasized the shared experiences of "gender outlaws." Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and Gender Spectrum use "gender-expansive" to denote a broader range of gender identities and expressions than those typically associated with the binary gender system.

Identities

Agender

individuals, also known as genderless, gender-free, non-gendered, or ungendered, have no gender at all. This group represents a spectrum of identities that diverge from conventional gender norms. According to scholar Finn Enke, not all agender individuals may self-identify as transgender. While there is no universally accepted set of pronouns for agender people, singular they is commonly used, but it is not the default. "Agender" and "Neutrois" were among the custom gender options added to Facebook in February 2014 and to OkCupid since November 2014.

Bigender

Bigender individuals possess two distinct gender identities that can manifest simultaneously or fluctuate between masculine and feminine expressions. This differs from genderfluid identities, which may not involve fixed gender states but rather a fluid range across the gender spectrum. The American Psychological Association recognizes bigender identity as part of the broader transgender category. Surveys and studies, including a 1999 San Francisco Department of Public Health survey and a 2016 Harris poll, have documented the prevalence of bigender identification, particularly within younger generations. Trigender people shift among male, female, and third gender.

Demigender

Individuals identifying as demigender feel a partial connection to one gender while also identifying with another gender or none at all (agender). Subcategories include demi-boy or demi-man, who partially identify as male, and demi-girl, who are partly female and partly non-binary. Demiflux people experience a stable non-binary identity with varying intensities of other gender identities.

Genderfluid

Genderfluid individuals do not adhere to a fixed gender identity; their genders change depending on time, place and situation, combining elements from one or more genders at different times. This identity can overlap with bigender, trigender, polygender or pangender expressions.

Pangender

individuals identify with multiple or all genders, sometimes experiencing all these identities simultaneously.

Polygender

''Polygender'', ''plurigender'' or ''multigender'' is a non-binary identity in which the person experiences multiple genders. Pangender, bigender, and trigender are examples of multi-gender identities, sometimes along with androgyne, associated with demigender.

Transfeminine or transmasculine

Transfeminine refers to individuals assigned male at birth who predominantly identify or express themselves as feminine. Transmasculine refers to those assigned female at birth who predominantly identify or express themselves as masculine. These terms encompass both binary and non-binary identities.

Two-spirit

Originating from a 1990 Indigenous LGBTQ gathering in Winnipeg, the term two-spirit refers to individuals within Indigenous North American communities who embody qualities or fulfill roles across traditional gender distinctions.

Xenogender

Xenogender encompasses a variety of gender identities that are defined using non-traditional concepts often drawn from natural, inanimate, or abstract sources, representing a departure from the typical human gender binary. People who identify with a xenogender may not have the words to describe their gender, so instead they compare it to something else.

History

Non-binary gender, often included within the concept of third gender, has historical roots that extend well before the modern term was established. For instance, the Public Universal Friend, who emerged in 1776, was a genderless evangelist who renounced their birth name and gendered pronouns, representing an early instance of non-binary gender expression in America.Samantha Schmidt,
A genderless prophet drew hundreds of followers long before the age of nonbinary pronouns
'', January 5, 2020, ''The Washington Post''

In 1781, Jens Andersson from Norway, assigned female at birth but identifying as male, faced imprisonment and a trial after marrying a woman. When questioned, Andersson stated, "Hand troer at kunde henhøre til begge Deele" ('He believes he belongs to both parts'), indicating a recognition of his dual gender identity.

Judith Butler's ''Gender Trouble'', published in 1990, challenged the fixed male/female binary and advocated for a broader understanding of gender as a spectrum, a view Butler has expanded upon since coming out as non-binary in 2019.

The term "genderqueer" surfaced in the mid-1990s, notably used by activist Riki Wilchins in the newsletter ''In Your Face'' in 1995, and later in their 1997 autobiography. Wilchins contributed significantly to the discourse, particularly with the 2002 anthology ''GenderQueer: Voices from beyond the Sexual Binary''.

Jim Sinclair, an autism-rights activist and a founder of Autism Network International, publicly embraced a gender-neutral identity in 1997, declaring a physical and social neuter status in an introduction to the Intersex Society of North America.

In Japan, the expression " X-gender" () has been recognized since the late 1990s, describing a non-binary identity, with notable individuals such as manga artists Yūki Kamatani and Yuu Watase identifying as such.

In 2012, the Intersex & Genderqueer Recognition Project began advocating for more inclusive gender options on official documents, a milestone realized when Elisa Rae Shupe became the first person in the U.S. to obtain official documents with a non-binary gender marker.

Alberta legislator Estefan Cortes-Vargas openly identified as non-binary during a 2015 legislative session, marking a significant moment in political recognition of non-binary identities. /www.macleans.ca/news/canada/for-the-record-an-alberta-mla-on-battling-gender-identity/ "An Alberta MLA on battling gender identity" ''Maclean's'', December 1, 2015

On January 20, 2025, immediately after being sworn in for his second term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government". This order established that the U.S. federal government would recognize only two sexes—male and female—defined strictly by biological characteristics assigned at birth. It explicitly rejected the concept of gender identity as a basis for legal recognition for non-binary people.

Pronouns and titles

Many non-binary people use gender-neutral pronouns with the singular "they", "their" and "them" being used most commonly in English. Some non-binary individuals opt for neopronouns such as , , , , and ey. Others may use traditional gender-specific pronouns such as "he" or "she", switch between them, or prefer to use their name without pronouns. The title Mx. is also increasingly used as a gender-neutral honorific.

A significant 2015 study by the National Center for Transgender Equality surveyed nearly 28,000 transgender people in the United States, finding that 35% identified as non-binary or genderqueer. Among them, 84% used pronouns different from those associated with the gender on their birth certificates. The breakdown of preferred pronouns was 37% for "he/him", 37% for "she/her", and 29% for "they/them". Additionally, 20% did not request specific pronouns be used for them, and 4% used pronouns not listed in the survey.

In the 2024 Gender Census, a record 48,645 participants shared how they describe their gender and their preferences for titles and pronouns. The most commonly selected identity labels were nonbinary (60.4%, down 2.7% from 2023), queer (53.6%, down 1.2%), trans (44.7%, down 2.0%), a category described as a person/human/ y name“I’m just me” (39.1%, down 3.4%), and transgender (38.8%, down 1.5%). Regarding titles, 42.2% preferred no title at all (up 2.1%), followed by Mx (17.4%, down 1.3%), Mr (11.3%, down 0.2%), non-gendered professional/academic titles (9.2%, down 0.2%), and Ms (5.8%, up 0.3%). Pronoun preferences were led once again by "they/them" at 75.5% (up 1.0%), followed by "he/him" at 42.0% (down 0.5%), "she/her" at 36.0% (up 3.3%), "it/its" at 20.3% (up 0.9%), and a preference for avoiding pronouns or using names at 13.9% (up 0.7%). These findings continue to illustrate the rich and evolving diversity of language within the nonbinary community.

Legal recognition

Many non-binary/genderqueer people use the gender they were given at birth to conduct everyday business, as many institutions and forms of identification—such as passports and driver's licenses—only accept, in the sense of recorded recognition, binary gender identities. But with the increasing acceptance of non-binary gender identities and the rise in wider societal recognition, this is slowly changing, as more governments and institutions recognize and allow non-binary identities.

Multiple countries legally recognize non-binary or third gender classifications. Some non-Western societies have long recognized transgender people as a third gender, although this may not (or may only recently) include formal legal recognition. In Western societies, Australia may have been the first country to legally recognize a classification of sex outside of "male" and "female" on legal documentation, with the recognition of Alex MacFarlane's intersex status in 2003. The wider legal recognition of non-binary people—following the recognition of intersex people in 2003—in Australian law followed between 2010 and 2014, with legal action taken against the New South Wales Government Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages by transgender activist Norrie May-Welby to recognize Norrie's legal gender identity as "non-specific". India's Supreme Court formally recognized transgender and non-binary people as a distinct third gender in 2014, following legal action taken by transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. In July 2021, Argentina incorporated non-binary gender in its national ID card, becoming the first country in South America to legally recognize non-binary gender on all official documentation; non-binary people in the country will have the option to renew their ID with the letter "X" under gender.

United States

Legal recognition of non-binary gender identities in the United States has varied significantly across time and jurisdictions. In June 2016, a court in Oregon issued the first known ruling in the U.S. recognizing a non-binary gender. In subsequent years, several states, beginning with California in 2017, enacted legislation or adopted policies allowing residents to select a non-binary or “X” gender marker on official documents such as driver's licenses and birth certificates. As of early 2025, over 20 states and the District of Columbia continue to offer non-binary gender markers on some state-issued documents.

At the federal level, non-binary recognition advanced during the early 2020s. In 2021, the U.S. Department of State issued the first passport bearing an “X” gender marker, and beginning in April 2022, this option became available to all applicants without medical documentation. However, this policy was reversed in January 2025 when President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing federal agencies to recognize only male and female categories. The U.S. Department of State subsequently suspended all new passport applications requesting an “X” marker, though previously issued passports with an “X” designation remain valid until expiration.

Legal protections for non-binary individuals under U.S. federal law remain limited. While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has been interpreted to prohibit employment discrimination based on gender nonconformity and transgender status, there are no explicit nationwide protections that specifically name non-binary individuals or ensure their rights across areas such as identification, healthcare, housing, or public services. As a result, access to recognition and protection continues to depend heavily on state and local laws and policies.

Discrimination

Various countries throughout history have criminalized transgender and non-binary gender identities.

In the U.S., 13% of respondents to the 2008 National Transgender Discrimination Survey chose "a gender not listed here". The "not listed here" respondents were more likely than the general sample (36% compared to 27%) to report forgoing healthcare due to fear of discrimination. 90 percent reported experiencing anti-trans bias at work, and 43 percent reported having attempted suicide.

The reported discrimination non-binary people face includes disregard, disbelief, condescending interactions, and disrespect. Non-binary people are also often viewed as partaking in a trend and thus deemed insincere or attention-seeking. As an accumulation, erasure is often a significant form of discrimination non-binary people face.

Misgendering, intentional or not, is also a problem that many face. In the case of intentional misgendering, transphobia is a driving force. Additionally, the use of they/them pronouns is lumped into the larger, controversial, subject of safe spaces and political correctness, causing pushback and intentional misgendering by some people.

Non-binary and transgender identifying people also face discrimination in sports participation. Non-binary identifying athletes have an immediate barrier as most sports competitions are divided into men's and women's categories.

Healthcare

Nonbinary people may report significantly worse health and general wellbeing than binary transgender people, although current research demonstrates conflicting perspectives on this topic. These health disparities may be exacerbated by minority stress by breaking gender and social norms.

Healthcare professionals are often uninformed about nonbinary people's specific health needs, sometimes requiring nonbinary patients to educate them. Some providers may believe that nonbinary people do not require transition-related treatment, while others may not understand the difference between their identity and the identities of binary transgender patients. Nonbinary patients report lower rates of respect from healthcare providers than binary transgender people.

Transgender health care

Some nonbinary people desire gender-affirming health care, including hormone replacement therapy or surgery. Others do not, and the ratio of those who desire care to those who do not is unclear. The factors that lead to this decision are complex and unique to each person.

Nonbinary patients seeking gender-affirming care typically begin treatment earlier than binary transgender patients.

Mental health care

Nonbinary people are likely to face more mental stress than binary transgender people. This can be for many reasons including worse mental health and being discouraged from using the bathroom of their choice. According to the Trevor Project, 54% of non-binary and transgender youth have considered suicide and 58% have been discouraged from using the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

Symbols and observances

Many flags have been used in non-binary and genderqueer communities to represent various identities. There are distinct non-binary and genderqueer pride flags. The genderqueer pride flag was designed in 2011 by Marilyn Roxie. Lavender represents androgyny or queerness, white represents agender identity, and green represents those whose identities which are defined outside the binary. The non-binary pride flag was created in 2014 by Kye Rowan. Yellow represents people whose gender exists outside the binary, purple represents those whose gender is a mixture of—or between—male and female, black represents people who have no gender, and white represents those who embrace many or all genders.

Several symbols have been proposed for nonbinary people, to complement the Mars symbol for men and Venus symbol for women. One popular symbol is a circle with a stem above it, crossed by an X, in reference to the use of Xs as a gender marker for nonbinary people.

Genderfluid people, who fall under the genderqueer umbrella, also have their own flag. Pink represents femininity, white represents lack of gender, purple represents mixed gender or androgyny, black represents all other genders, and blue represents masculinity.

Agender people, who also sometimes identify as genderqueer, have their own flag. This flag uses black and white stripes to represent an absence of gender, and a green stripe to represent non-binary genders.

International Non-Binary People's Day is celebrated on July 14. Other observances with non-binary participation include International Transgender Day of Visibility, observed on March 31, and International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, observed on May 17.

Population figures

Argentina

According to provisional results from Argentina’s 2022 national census, 8,293 people (about 0.018% of the total population) identified as non-binary.

Brazil

A 2021 representative survey estimated that about 1.19% of Brazilian adults identify as non-binary. This corresponds to roughly 1.9 million adults at the time of the survey.

Canada

Statistics Canada reported that in the 2021 Census, 41,355 Canadians aged 15 or older (about 0.14% of that age group) identified as non-binary.

Switzerland

A nationwide survey conducted in late 2021 found that roughly 0.4% of Swiss adults described themselves as non-binary.

United Kingdom

According to the 2021 census (England and Wales), 30,000 people identified as non-binary, about 0.06% of the population.

United States

Recent U.S. surveys suggest roughly 1–2% of American adults identify as non-binary. For example, a 2024 Gallup poll found between 1% and 2% of U.S. adults reported a non-binary gender identity.

See also

* Genderqueer fashion
* Gender neutrality
** Gender-neutral language
*** Gender neutrality in languages with grammatical gender
*** Gender neutrality in genderless languages
*** Gender neutrality in English
*** Gender marking in job titles
*** Gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns
* Gender transitioning
* Gender variance
* Include Mx
* List of fictional non-binary characters
* List of people with non-binary gender identities
* Postgenderism
* Queer heterosexuality
* Transcending Boundaries Conference

Explanatory notes

References

Further reading

* Barker, Meg-John; Scheele, Julia (2016). ''Queer: A Graphic History''. London: Icon Books. . .
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Richards, C., Bouman, W. P., & Barker, M.-J. (2017). ''Genderqueer and non-binary genders''. London: Palgrave Macmillan. . .
*
*

External links

*
*

{{Authority control

Feminist terminology
Gender identity
Neologisms
Third gender
Transgender identities