User:Khatherinne.rivera/Non-binary gender

Non-binary gender

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"Non-binary" redirects here. For other uses, see Binary (disambiguation).

For non-human reproduction with no distinction between male and female gametes, see isogamy.

Non-binary (also spelled nonbinary) or genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are outside the binary. Therefore, gender non-conforming identities fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people do not identify with the imposed gender binary. It is essential to know the difference between sex and gender when confronting this topic. Sex is based on anatomical genitalia, hormonal levels, such as genetic makeup, while gender is a form of individual self-expression based on a more psychological manner. Nonetheless, the gender construct is an inherent role imposed before the birth of a baby that places stereotypes and societal expectations around femininity ad masculinity. Thus, perpetuating the confusion between sex and gender.

Non-binary people may identify as having two or more genders (being bigender or trigender); having no gender (agender, nongendered, genderless, gender-free, or neutrois); moving between genders or having a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid); being third gender or other-gendered (a category that includes those who do not place a name to their gender).

Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation, and non-binary people have a variety of sexual orientations, just as cisgender people do.

Non-binary identities are not associated with a specific gender expression, such as androgyny. Non-binary people as a group have a wide variety of gender expressions, and some may reject gender "identities" altogether. Some non-binary people are medically treated for gender dysphoria with surgery or hormones, as trans men and women often are.

Definitions and identity[edit]

A non-binary pride flag at a parade in Paris reading "Mon genre est non-binaire" ("My gender is non-binary")

The term genderqueer originated in queer zines of the 1980s as a precursor to the term non-binary. Besides, genderqueer usage as an adjective refers to any person who is perceived to transcend or divert from traditional distinctions of gender, regardless of their self-defined gender identity. Individuals may express gender non-normatively by not conforming to the binary gender categories of man and woman. Genderqueer is often used to self-identify by people who challenge binary social constructions of gender.

The term androgynous (also androgyne) describes gender ambiguity. Furthermore, this is because the term androgyny is closely associated with a blend of socially defined masculine and feminine traits. However, not all genderqueer people identify as androgynous. Some genderqueer people identify as a masculine woman or a feminine man or combine genderqueer with another gender option. With that said, being non-binary is not the same as being intersex. The medical term for intersex is DSD (differences of sex development). For instance, “DSD refers to people with a sex chromosomal makeup that varies from XX or XY, and/or people who have hormonal levels that do not fit neatly in a male/female binary, and/or people who have genitals that are usually associated with both the male sex and the female sex”.

Many references use the term transgender to include genderqueer/non-binary people. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation and Gender Spectrum use the term gender-expansive to convey "a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system".

Agender people ('a-' meaning "without") are those who identify as having no gender or being without a gender identity. Although this category includes a broad range of identities that do not conform to traditional gender norms, scholar Finn Enke states that people who identify with any of these positions may not necessarily self-identify as transgender. Agender people have no specific set of pronouns; singular they is typically used, but it is not the default.

Bigender, bi-gender or dual gender is a gender identity that includes any two gender identities and behaviors. Identifying as bigender is typically understood to mean that one identifies as both male and female or moves between masculine gender expression and feminine gender expression, having two distinct gender identities simultaneously or fluctuating between them. However, this is different from identifying as genderfluid, as those who identify as genderfluid may not go back and forth between any fixed gender identities and may experience an entire range or spectrum of identities over time. The American Psychological Association describes the bi-gender identity as part of the umbrella of transgender identities. Some bigender individuals express two distinct personas, which may be feminine, masculine, agender, androgyne, or other gender identities; others find that they identify as two genders simultaneously.

Demigender is a gender identity of a person identifying partially or mostly with one gender and at the same time with another gender. There are several subcategories of identity, some of which include demi girl, demi boy, and demiandrogyne. A demi boy or demiman, for example, identifies at least partially with being a boy or a man, no matter the sex and gender assigned at birth. While those who identify with the label grant parts of their identity to other genders, gender-fluid, or no other gender.

Genderfluid people often express a desire to remain flexible about their gender identity rather than committing to a single definition. They may fluctuate between different gender expressions over their lifetime or embody multiple aspects of various gender markers at the same time. A genderfluid individual may also identify as bigender – shifting between masculine and feminine, or as trigender – shifting between these and third gender. Pangender is

defined as being more than one gender, or it may describe a person who feels they are a member of all genders at the same time.

Gender-nonconforming people do not comply with gender roles that come with their assigned sex. Not all individuals who identify with this term identify as trans.

Transfeminine and transmasculine people are individuals to describe themselves with an aspect of femininity or masculinity within their identity. Transfeminine may be used by individuals who were assigned male at birth but align more closely with femininity while not necessarily fully identifying as a woman. Transmasculine may be used by individuals who were assigned female at birth but align more closely with masculinity while not necessarily fully identifying as a man.

Pronouns and tittles

Some non-binary/genderqueer people prefer to use gender-neutral pronouns. Usage of a singular 'they', 'their,' and 'them' is the most common; non-standard pronouns such as xe, ze, sie, co, and ey, are sometimes used as well. Others prefer the conventional gender-specific pronouns 'her' or 'him'; others prefer to alternately refer to themselves as 'he' and 'she'; or prefer to use only their name and not use pronouns at all. Also, some prefer a mixture of gender-neutral pronouns and gender-specific pronouns, or they are not bothered by a particular set of pronouns since they have acknowledged the gender construct. Additionally, many prefer additional neutral languages, such as the title 'Mx.' instead of Mr. or Ms.

Legal recognition[edit]

Main article: Legal recognition of non-binary gender

In today's society, many non-binary/genderqueer people still 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. However, with the increasing acceptance of non-binary gender identities and the rise in wider societal recognition, this is slowly changing, as a substantial number of 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, though this may not (or may only recently) include formal legal recognition. In Western culture, Australia may have been the first country to legally recognize a classification of sex outside of 'male' and 'female' on legal documentation, following the recognition of Alex MacFarlane's intersex status in 2003. The broad legal recognition of nonbinary people – following the acknowledgment 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'.

While the United States does not federally recognize a non-binary gender, in 2016, Oregon became the first state to recognize non-binary gender identity. Following Oregon, in 2017, California passed an act allowing citizens to identify as "non-binary" on official documents. As of 2019, eight states have passed laws that recognize "non-binary" or "X" designations on certain identifying documents. One of the main arguments against the inclusion of a third gender identifier in the U.S. is that it would make law enforcement and surveillance harder. However, countries that have officially recognized a third gender marker have not reported these issues. In the United States, there are no explicit laws to protect non-binary people from discrimination. Nonetheless, it is illegal for an employer to require employees to conform to sex stereotypes.

The disproval of trans and gender non-conforming persons in public spaces, such as necessary utilities, the restroom is something they have to worry about daily. This discrimination tames initiative by people who attend the bathrooms and police officers that take advantage of their position of power discourage trans women, trans men, and gender non-conforming persons, take care of their basic human needs. Because of this type of occurrence, the proposition of gender-neutral restrooms is a viable option. Nonetheless, this stance took a lot of negative feedback and controversy. Access that permits non-cisgender persons to utilize the bathroom within a safe space will help those who fall under the trans umbrella to navigate their daily tasks without the worry of being harassed.

Discrimination[edit]

The majority of reported discrimination faced by non-binary individuals often includes disregard, disbelief, condescending interactions, and disrespect.[64] People who are non-binary are also often viewed as partaking in part of a trend and are thus deemed insincere or attention-seeking. As an accumulation, erasure is a form of discrimination faced by non-binary individuals.[64]

Misgendering is also a problem that many individuals face, be it intentional or unintentional. In the case of deliberate misgendering, transphobia is a driving force. Also, the use of they/them pronouns are systematized scraped into the controversial subject of safe spaces and political correctness,[67] causing push back and intentional misgendering from some individuals. When a person assumes a nonbinary gender expression based on their appearance, then this intensifies the gender dysphoria. When accidental misgendering occurs, the person who is misgendered feels pressured to console and forgive the person who was mistaken. [68] Then, the attention turns to the person who was mistaken instead of the gender non-conforming one, making them feel as their identity is an inconvenience to others. If this were to happen, the person who accidentally misgendered someone should correct themselves and more on without escalating the situation. In the case of intentional misgendering amongst federal intervention, this prevents litigations of hate crime and murder to be solved. Accurate reports are stunning, and it impedes the victims in having the security every citizen should have.

According to the Journal of the International Aids Society, those who fall under the trans umbrella experience a higher level of social isolation, discrimination due to the stigma of following the social norms, and victimization. The rejection the trans community faces leads to self-isolation due to the lack of acceptance solely based on their gender expression. Thus, this social exclusion then transforms further damages upon the community mental health, such as “psychological distress, trauma, depression, anxiety, and unhealthy coping mechanisms, including promiscuity, substance abuse, poor sexual health, and even suicide to manage the distressful feelings"

Moreover, the trans youth faces external discrimination (from peers, teachers, health care professionals, etc.) and, in some cases, discrimination from their family. All these challenges happen at a developmental age where their brains have not matured. The unfound aspect of having a supportive community they could turn to in times of need leads to an increase of mental illnesses and unhealthy coping mechanisms as opposed to their non-LGBTQ counterparts. Also, LGBTQ people of color (POC) face additional challenges to those previously discussed. For instance, they face gender and sexual discrimination on top of the preconceived prejudice based on their race. The POC trans community faces more discrimination, victimization, social rejection, and social stigmatization. As opposed to the non-POC trans community.

See also[edit]

Look up non-binary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Genderqueer fashion
• Gender neutrality
• Gender variance
• Postgenderism
• Transcending Boundaries Conference
• Gender transitioning
• Two-Spirit
• Unisex public toilet
• Transgender
• African-American LGBT community
• Gender dysphoria