Entering the workforce can be stressful for anyone, but for non-binary people, that transition often comes with additional challenges. From pronoun usage to gendered dress codes, navigating professional spaces as a non-binary person means constantly assessing how to show up authentically while ensuring personal safety and comfort.
Challenges in the workplace
Despite growing conversations around inclusion, many workplaces remain slow to adopt practices that fully support non-binary individuals. Misgendering and deadnaming are still common, particularly in environments where diversity and inclusion efforts haven’t extended beyond the binary. This can be exhausting and alienating.
While some non-binary professionals feel comfortable sharing their pronouns at work, others worry about potential discrimination or misunderstanding. Deciding when and how to share pronouns—whether during interviews, on LinkedIn, or once hired—can become a strategic calculation based on how safe a space feels.
Many industries continue to enforce gendered professional attire, often leaving non-binary individuals feeling stuck between expectations and expression. Business casual can quickly become a daily negotiation between identity and conformity.
One of the biggest hurdles is simply visibility. When few, if any, non-binary people are represented in leadership, or even the general workforce, it’s hard to envision a future or feel like you belong. This underrepresentation feeds a cycle of exclusion and discomfort.
what companies can do
To create genuinely inclusive spaces, companies must move beyond performative allyship. That means implementing inclusive hiring practices that avoid gendered assumptions, normalizing pronoun-sharing in email signatures, meetings, and introductions, revising dress codes to be flexible and gender-neutral, and providing gender-inclusive restrooms and facilities.
Some organizations, like Out & Equal, the Human Rights Campaign, and GLAAD, offer invaluable tools and training to help companies better understand gender diversity and create inclusive environments. Incorporating their guidance into HR practices can make a meaningful difference.
Small, consistent changes like these help foster a workplace culture where non-binary professionals can thrive rather than merely survive.
my experience in the workforce
In my personal experience, most people have been willing to accept my identity and pronouns, even if they don’t always get it right. I include my pronouns in every professional, academic, and personal email I send. Often, this goes unnoticed, but it is an easy way for me to “come out” without the stress of a big announcement.
I currently work in motorsports, a field not traditionally known for LGBTQ+ inclusion or gender diversity. At INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I’ve found that most of the people I regularly interact with are excellent at using my correct pronouns. My coworkers may occasionally make mistakes, but I know they respect me and my identity.
I haven’t medically transitioned and don’t present in an especially androgynous way, so I understand that people may sometimes be unsure. But overall, being non-binary in such a hyper-masculine and gendered environment has shown me how much progress is possible when people are open-minded and willing to learn. I know my presence here isn’t just about me, it creates a little more space for the next person who doesn’t fit the mold either.
advice for fellow professionals
- Seek inclusive workplaces. Research companies’ diversity policies before applying. Look for signs of inclusion, like diversity and equity statements, ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), or pronoun usage in staff bios.
- Plan your approach to pronouns. Decide when you’re comfortable disclosing your pronouns, and when you’re not. Some choose to do so during interviews, while others wait until they have a better sense of the company culture.
- Set boundaries. You’re allowed to correct others, but you’re also allowed to disengage when it’s too much. Your well-being comes first.
- Find support. LGBTQ+ networking groups, mentors, and affirming coworkers can be invaluable sources of community and encouragement.
- Leverage resources. Advocacy organizations like Out & Equal and the Human Rights Campaign offer guides and support for navigating the workplace, especially as a gender-diverse professional.
the path forward
Being non-binary in the workplace isn’t always easy, but it’s possible to thrive with the right support systems and boundaries in place. And the more we show up as ourselves, the more space we create for others to do the same.
Representation matters. Visibility matters. Your presence in the professional world matters!