What is non-binary?
According to Stonewall, non-binary is:
An umbrella term for a person who does not identify as only male or only female, or who may identify as both.
So basically, if you don’t identify as strictly male or female, you’re non-binary. You can think of gender as a spectrum if you like, although I’m not quite sure that’s accurate — you can’t fit the term agender on it, for example. So I’ll use an umbrella instead. Under the term non-binary, there are many different genders, including (but not limited to) the ones below:
You might notice that I’ve put non-binary under the umbrella too. That’s not a mistake, but to recognise the fact that some people (including me) identity simply as non-binary.
Note: from this point on, I’m going to use non-binary as a term to identify any gender under that umbrella. Simply because it’s quicker to write.
What is it’s relationship with transgender?
Ah. This is where it gets more complicated. Technically, non-binary comes under the term transgender (the definition of transgender is not identifying with your biological sex, or the gender you were assigned at birth). However, some non-binary people don’t identify with the term transgender, and so prefer not to use it. In a Scottish Trans Alliance survey in 2015, 65% of non-binary people considered themselves trans — 35% didn’t or were unsure.
Here’s another diagram, this time showing the relationship between transgender, non-binary and cisgender.
Note: cisgender means not transgender — you identify as the gender you were assigned at birth.
Around 0.4% of the UK’s population identifies as non-binary — about 1 in every 250 people (so in big inner city secondary schools, that’s on average about 1 per year. Though we had several in our year).
Now for some transphobic ‘facts’ about non-binary people. And some actual, genuine facts to prove them wrong.
Also, if anyone knows a better term to use than transphobic that’s specific to non-binary people, I’d be glad to hear it.
‘Fact’ number one:
Non-binary is just a trend. (bonus points if the person mentions Tumblr or teenagers in this. Double points if they mention both)
I suppose that yes, it’s true that more people are coming to identify as non-binary, so even though this statement is transphobic I can see where people might get the idea from (if they don’t think about it too hard afterwards anyway).
But there are reasons more people are identifying openly as non-binary, the main ones being:
- An increase in tolerance and acceptance. It’s nowhere near universally accepted, but it’s much better than it was in the 80s, for example.
- The internet. This gives people the means to access resources they otherwise couldn’t, and they can find out about their identity if they’re confused, rather than just staying quiet because they have no idea. This is especially important for teenagers.
- More support groups. For example, although not directly aimed at transgender or non-binary people, in 1988 in the UK Section 28 came into force, saying that ‘councils should not “intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” in its schools or other areas of their work’. This closed a lot of LGBT support groups, particularly youth groups and those in schools. It stopped people, especially young people, accessing resources.
Furthermore, non-binary genders are nothing new. They have existed for centuries in other cultures, often as third genders. Some examples are two-spirits in indigenous American cultures and hijras in India and Pakistan.
‘Fact’ number two:
You’re just non-binary to get attention.
Why would I want the sort of attention being non-binary brings? It is significantly worse in public places, but it happens everywhere. It’s not always taken seriously either. When my friend was bullied on the school bus, the police had to get involved because the school weren’t doing anything, for example.
(data from the 2015 Scottish Trans Alliance survey)
I mean, why would I want to get assaulted? Seriously. It’s not as if I get anything particularly good from coming out as non-binary, really. Non-binary people are also more likely to be discriminated against than cisgender people. According to the 2015 report, 11% of people had been refused services because they were non-binary.
‘Fact’ number three:
Non-binary isn’t real.
Although they don’t count non-binary separately, the Youth Chances survey in 2014 showed that 27% of young trans people had attempted suicide and 44% had thought about it. Also, 72% had self-harmed at least once.
This compares to 9% attempting suicide, 26% thinking about it and 35% self-harming at least once in cisgender people.
These seem like pretty real statistics to me.
‘Fact’ number three:
There are only 2 genders, male and female. It’s what’s between your legs that counts.
Well, if we’re conflating sex with gender…
There are various different chromosome combinations, that make up your sex. These include the most common,
XX
XY
But also ones such as,
XXX
XXY
XYY
X
And while these are mutations, they’re still different sexes. So why can’t genders other than male/female exist?
Also, hormones play a part in determining your gender, and the balance of these varies from person to person.
And a few bonuses…
‘Fact’ number four:
“They” is a plural pronoun.
It is actually also used in the singular. For example, when you don’t know someone’s gender, you tend to say “they’re doing their work” or “they ate lunch earlier”, as opposed to “he/she’s doing his/her work” or “he/she ate lunch earlier”.
Furthermore, for over 600 years “they” has been used in the singular.
For example:
Almost anyone under the circumstances would have doubted if [the letter] were theirs, or indeed if they were themself.
Emily Dickinson, 1881
Eche on in þer craft ys wijs.
This is from Wycliffe’s Bible in 1382, and means “Each one is wise in their craft”.
Inheritementes, of which any of the seid persones… was seised by theym self, or joyntly with other.
The Rolls of Parliament, in 1463–5
‘Fact’ number five:
I don’t know why you can’t just be male/female or use he/she pronouns, stop making such a big deal of it.
I don’t think this requires any explanation. But they’re the ones making a fuss about it, surely?
These are the most common things I’ve heard against non-binary. And I hope the arguments against them are of some use at least.
Main sources:
