When people meet me, their default assumption is that I’m a woman. While that is true, it is only partially true; I don’t only identify as a woman, but I identify as non-binary as well. In expressing my identity, I’ve noticed that not everyone understands what it means to have a non-binary identity. In my experience, here are some things that people tend to not quite understand.
Being non-binary doesn’t mean that you can’t have a gender identity.
Identity has multiplicity. As I mentioned before, I identify as both a woman and non-binary, and go by she/they pronouns. The way I see it is that I don’t restrict my identity to gender, as it is unimportant to me. However, my experience does not include every non-binary individual. Some feel strongly about their gender pronouns, whether it be she, he, they, etc. Be sure to respect pronouns. But also know that if you accidentally misgender me, I’m not going to hold it against you, so no need to make a big stink about it.
We don’t all necessarily make changes to our bodies
While some may, not all non-binary individuals feel the need to change their physical bodies. But regardless, don’t be that person that asks “what’s in your pants?” That is just completely unnecessary and offensive… it gets us nowhere.
There’s no way to “look” non-binary
Just like any person, non-binary people all come with individuality. Gender identity (one’s internal sense of gender), may not always match the expected gender expression (how one’s gender is perceived by others)
We don’t all feel like we were “born in the wrong body”
For me, being non-binary has nothing to do with my body. It just means that I don’t feel like I’m exactly what society expects me to be as a woman. I am my own individual, and gender doesn’t apply to who I am.
It’s not about being politically correct, it’s about respecting identity
We all know that person that hates needing to be “politically correct,” and how people are “oversensitive.” No. Politics has absolutely nothing to do with this. All I ask is that you respect my identity, there’s nothing sensitive about that.
Check me out in all of my non-binary finery