Beyond Binary Code

“Often businesses default to asking for gender without considering why they need that information and how it might impact the people on the other end of the form. When trans and non-binary people are excluded, misgendered, or discriminated against during daily interactions with businesses, that contributes to an environment that is hostile to their well-being.” — Claire Black, GM of rainbow mental health organization OutLine Aotearoa

Demographics of individuals who identify as non-binary were recorded for the first time in June 2021. The UCLA Williams institute found approximately 1.2 million people identifying as nonbinary in the United States. The fact that no prior record of this data existed is indicative of the discrimination and systematic exclusion of nonbinary individuals in the past years. Non-Binary individuals chose to identify as more than one gender or don’t identify with a gender at all.

The concept of gender identity has evolved over time and society needs to adapt to it. Rising awareness of gender and sexuality constructs is encouraging more individuals to come out of the closet. I identify as a female (She/Her) and while I might not always consider the effect of having only two categories of gender while filling out online forms or giving out my gender data, this significantly impacts individuals who don’t fit into either category and are forced to misidentify themselves.

What is ‘Beyond Binary Code’?

Beyond Binary Code is a campaign launched by New Zealand-based telco Spark, last week that aims to change the way businesses collect gender data. It aims to be inclusive of individuals who identify beyond the binaries of male and female in website forms.

It comprises of a single piece of code, co-created with rainbow mental health organization OutLine Aotearoa and non-binary communities, that can be added to the websites of businesses. This will update website forms to become gender-inclusive. More importantly, the campaign wants to help businesses understand if they need to collect gender data in the first place.

Digital Campaign to generate awareness

While the ‘Beyond Binary Code’ initiative champions inclusivity, it needed to be able to reach businesses and other potential consumers. Since they primarily targeted businesses, Spark mainly used its Linkedin presence to spread awareness of its campaign. It launched an advertisement on youtube which featured non-binary individuals sharing their personal experiences to further amplify its message. The Ad was impactful and made headlines in several marketing magazines and newspapers like Adweek and The Drum.

Where can I find ‘Beyond Binary Code’?

Spark website for Beyond Binary Code

Spark features an interactive and user-friendly website for its Beyond Binary Code Campaign. The aesthetics of the website are specifically designed to match the theme of coding and algorithms.

Scrolling through the website leads you further into the webpage and makes it feel like a user journey. The information is laid out with brevity and is articulate. The code can be purchased directly from the website and includes personal stories of non-binary individuals to further state its significance.

How else can we create a safe space for non-binary individuals?

1. Create clear pathways for gender-affirming healthcare, including training, resources and culturally appropriate services.
2. Improve trans and non-binary people’s mental health and wellbeing, as a named priority in mental health and addiction policies.
3. Support schools to be safe and inclusive for trans and non-binary students.
4. Better protect trans and non-binary people from discrimination.
5. Protect trans and non-binary people from violence, including as a priority in sexual and domestic violence work.
6. Support health and wellbeing initiatives led by trans and non-binary communities.
7. Lastly, educate ourselves about non-binary identities and raise awareness of the same