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International Non-Binary People’s Day 2022 – How to Be an Active Ally

Thursday, 14 July 2022

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  • Learn more about what it means to be non-binary.

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July 14 is International Non-binary People’s Day. A day where we celebrate the rich diversity of people under the non-binary umbrella, raise awareness of the issues faced by non-binary people around the world and talk about how we can be more inclusive and supportive to non-binary people and communities.

What is Non-binary gender?

Non-binary is a term that refers to genders that fall outside of the male female binary. The term is sometimes used as an umbrella term for many different identities (including but not limited to agender, bigender, genderfluid and genderless), as well as an identity term on its own.

Important things to know about non-binary people:

  • Not all people whose label fits under the non-binary umbrella, will use non-binary as a descriptor or identity term.
  • Some non-binary people may also identify as transgender.
  • Some may choose to affirm their gender socially, medically and/or legally, some may not. Transition looks different for everyone and is not a requirement to being non-binary.
  • There is a common misconception that all non-binary people look androgynous and use they/them pronouns. While this is true for some, it is not true for everyone. It is important to understand that someone’s gender expression does tell us what their gender identity is, and their gender identity does not tell us what their pronouns are.

Non-binary identities

There is a range of gender identities that exist under the non-binary umbrella. You don’t have to know what they all mean but having some understanding can be a huge help in validating someone’s identity.

It’s important to note that language and our understanding of gender is constantly evolving. The definitions of the identities below are a great starting point, but it’s important to focus on the individual person’s definition of their identity, as it can look different from one person to the next.

Some identities under the non-binary umbrella include:

  • Agender - People who have no (or little) connection to gender, no personal alignment with being a man or woman and/or someone who sees themselves as existing without gender. Other terms people might use include gender neutrois, gender neutral and/or genderless.
  • Bigender - Someone whose personal identity includes two (or more) genders. The genders can either fluctuate or be simultaneously present.
  • Demigender – Someone who has a partial connection to a particular gender identity or to the concept of gender itself. Examples include demiboy (people who feel partly, mostly or in some way a man but also partly another gender/s or no gender) and demigirl (people who feel partly, mostly or some way a woman, but also partly another gender/s or no gender.)
  • Gender diverse - Sometimes abbreviated to GD, this is an umbrella term used to describe genders beyond the binary framework, or beyond presenting as either man or woman.
  • Genderfluid - This is a gender label that is often used by individuals whose sense of self in relation to gender changes from time to time. There is no set time frame in which an individual will change between genders (this could be days, weeks, months etc.), but the consistent experience is one of change. Genderfluid people may have different names and pronouns they use, depending on their sense of self and experienced gender.
  • Gender non-conforming - This term describes a range of people and styles of gender expression which do not conform to society’s expectations of a given gender. This term is therefore sometimes used by people who are not non-binary or gender diverse as well.
  • Genderqueer - Individuals whose gender is not within the binary of man or woman, and where there is a strong sense of rejecting the gender binary and normative social roles.This term may also sometimes be used as an umbrella term for many non-conforming genders.
  • Non-binary - This term refers to genders that fall outside of the man woman binary. It is commonly used as an umbrella term for identities outside of the gender binary but is also an identity in and of itself.
  • Pangender – An individual whose identity is not limited to one gender but encompasses many or all genders. This could mean feeling many or all genders at the same time or being fluid across time.
  • Polygender – Sometimes referred to as multigender, this term describes someone who is multiple genders, but not all. The genders can either fluctuate or be simultaneously present.
  • Third Gender - A person who does not identify with being a man or woman, but with a third gender. This category is often used by societies that recognise three or more genders.

What is an ally?

Being an ally is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-education when supporting and advocating for the rights of non-binary people. The term ‘ally’ is not necessarily a label you can assign yourself, rather something you should continually be working towards. Therefore, the term active ally is sometimes a better description.

Here are some ways you can show active allyship towards non-binary people and communities:

  1. Be visible in your support

    Make it clear that you support non-binary people and communities. Be deliberate in your approach to remove all doubt for people who are looking for support, or to feel safe and included. General “everyone is welcome” statements are too broad. This may include:

    • Displaying non-binary flags in your surroundings or on your personal belongings
    • Using gender neutral language until you know how someone identifies or what language they use for themselves i.e. ‘they/them’ and ‘person’ instead of he, she, man, woman, Miss, Mrs, or Mr.
    • Using gender neutral language to address groups of people i.e. welcome everyone/folks/guests instead of ladies and gentlemen.
    • Introducing yourself with your pronouns in person, in your email signature and on social media. Instagram and LinkedIn have a specific place to put your pronouns on your profile. On other platforms, you can write it in your bio or next to your name.
    • Share articles about non-binary people and issues that are important to and impact non-binary communities.
  2. Respect a person’s name(s), pronouns

    Some non-binary people may change their name and/or pronouns to affirm their gender identity. Getting used to these changes may take time, but it’s important to know it can mean a lot to a non-binary person when you do get it right. Mistakes happen, but it’s important to apologise, correct yourself and move on.

    Making a big deal about making a mistake, often only makes a non-binary or gender diverse person feel worse about being misgendered, or like they are being a burden. Non-binary people may use they/them pronouns, but they may also use other pronouns, or a combination of pronouns including (but not limited to) she/her/hers, he/him/his, and neo pronouns such as ze/hir/hirs, ze/zir/zirs and xe/xem/xyrs.

  3. Educate yourself and others

    Stay educated and up to date on your own learning. As our understanding of gender evolves over time, so does our language. It is important to keep up to date where you can, and not rely on non-binary people to educate you. Examples of how to stay up to date include:

  4. Provide options beyond the gender binary

    It can be difficult for non-binary people to navigate their way through everyday life when things are so categorised by the gender binary. It’s important to think beyond your own experiences of gender when thinking about how you can be safe and inclusive for non-binary people. Some ways you can do this include:

    • Providing options outside men and women, on forms and during data collection. Not only is having these limited options invalidating, but it also means you are not collecting accurate data. Take a look at ECU’s LGBTIQ Inclusive Data Collection Guide for some best practice examples of how to do this.
    • Providing all gender bathroom options, as using gendered bathrooms may be distressing, uncomfortable and unsafe for non-binary people (see ECU’s all gender bathrooms here)
    • Making sure that uniforms are not labelled as girls/boys or mens/womens and that there is no gender requirement to wear a particular type of uniform.

  5. Be aware of the space you take up

    Know when the right time is to speak up for and support non-binary people and communities, and when it is more appropriate for these communities to speak for themselves. The best thing an active ally can do is elevate the voices of non-binary people by sharing their stories and their work.

  6. Take confidentiality and privacy seriously

    If someone tells you they are non-binary, don’t assume that it is okay to tell other people. Only tell others if you have strict permission to do so, even if that person seems like they might already be ‘out’ to lots of people. ‘Outing’ someone (i.e. disclosing someone’s identity without their permission) can lead to issues with safety and trust.

For more information about supporting others or affirming your own gender at ECU, please read ECU’s Trans, Gender Diverse and Non-Binary Support Guidelines. Additionally, you can learn more about gender and pronouns at minus18.org.au.

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