International Non-Binary People's Day - Sunday, 14 July

12 Jul 2024

Celebrating our non-binary community

Sunday, 14 July marks International Non-Binary People’s Day.  It’s an annual occasion to celebrate the diverse range of people all over the world who identify as non-binary, to raise awareness of the issues that they face as well as to encourage people to learn more about how they can support non-binary people. 

What does non-binary mean? 

Non-binary refers to anyone whose gender identity doesn’t fit comfortably in to the definitions of ‘man’ or ‘woman’. However, there are many terms that people who are non-binary may wish to use to describe themselves, such as gender-fluid, gender-variant, gender-queer, etc. 

It’s important to respect the term that people use to describe their identity. Non-binary people may describe themselves as transgender as they may not identify with the gender assigned at birth. However, not all non-binary people identify as transgender. It is also important to point out that non-binary is not the same as transgender and vice versa. Many people who may consider themselves trans would not also consider themselves non-binary. 

About International Non-Binary People’s Day

Non-Binary People’s Day was founded in 2012 but this is by no means the start of non-binary and gender-nonconforming identities. 

• For more information read this article by Out & Equal on the history of Nonbinary Gender Identities. 

How can I be an ally for non-binary people?

There are many ways that you can help to better support non-binary people:

• Introduce yourself with your name and pronouns – this normalises the practice and helps to give non-binary people a stronger sense of belonging
• If you can, put your pronouns in your email signature and social media profiles – this is also a great way to normalise speaking about pronouns and avoids misgendering people. If you don’t want to share your pronouns, you could include ‘ask me about my pronouns’ instead.
• Badges and stickers – if you are hosting a meeting, event or conference, provide pronoun badges or stickers for visitors to wear. You can print your own using the pronoun badge design. 
• Use inclusive, non-gendered language – instead of using gendered language such as ‘ladies and gentlemen’ to address people, use gender neutral language such as ‘folks’, ‘people’, ‘everyone’. You can find out more in our Inclusive Language Guide.
• Don’t assume – If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, refer to them as ‘they’ until you are sure or just use their name.
• Keep learning and listening to the experiences of others – being non-binary is a diverse experience and the best way to learn is to listen to other people’s stories and experiences. You can seek out information online such as through this article on ‘Being non-binary in the UK today’ that gives a personal account of being non-binary. We also have an amazing resource called ‘Books Beyond Boundaries’ which is a diverse range of stories and experiences from people of all backgrounds and includes many titles on non-binary experiences.
• Don’t ask intrusive questions – if you have a question that you think might be intrusive or inappropriate, it probably is. It’s likely you could find the answer online and it’s better to assume that the person would not want to be questioned unless they have given explicit indication that it’s ok.
• For more tips on how to be a better ally to non-binary people you can have a look at the Stonewall article on being an ally 
• Book on to an Allies training session – we run Allies training regularly which are a great way to learn more and be a better ally!
• Speak to the EDI Team – If you have any queries, the EDI team are always happy to help. Our email is equalityanddiversity@manchester.ac.uk 

Here are some reflections from Non-Binary colleagues 

As a non-binary person working in the FBMH, the general open-mindedness of co-workers and support of allies is very validating. There are still battles to win, including chosen name and gender identity recognition on official University forms, but being surrounded by a supportive environment makes a big difference. H Davies-Strickleton, AllOut Network Member (they/them)

Being a non-binary person means that I challenge and determine my ascribed status. It means that I regard social identity as perspective, not prescriptive. I believe in self-determination and choice and I embody it. I could be cis or trans, gay, bi, straight or asexual, poly or mono, agender, genderfluid; someone who is questioning - or I might use a different definition. Like a quantum principle, my identity is often regarded as an unknown or an approximation, because it can seem hard to classify or understand from a conventional frame of reference - and I'm okay with that. I'd like you to be too. Alex S, AllOut Network Member (they/them)

Since I was a child, I never quite cared about presenting in a way aligned with what I have been assigned at birth, and I used to feel like I was cosplaying whenever I tried to mould myself into the cookie-cutter idea of gender binary. For me being non-binary means never quite fitting in anywhere, into any pre-set categories, behaviours and forms of expression. Not fitting in is not a bad thing, though - if anything, it can be both liberating and comforting. Jules, AllOut Network Member (they/them)

As a disabled and queer individual, it can be hard to feel like I fit in. Being non-binary means I have the freedom to be myself, breaking the barriers of what society expects me to be. Ro, AllOut Network Member (the/them)