How to observe International Non-Binary People’s Day

Chances are you’ve heard of the term, but you may be a bit hazy on ‘non-binary’s’ meaning. Since International Non-Binary People’s Day is celebrated on the 14th of July, we thought we’d explain the term and suggest different ways you could observe the day, should you choose to.

What does ‘non-binary’ mean?

If you find yourself pondering the question ‘what does it mean to be non-binary?’, it refers to an individual who doesn’t solely identify as male or female. Therefore, they don’t fit into the traditionally held mainstream beliefs held by most societies that recognise only two genders: male and female. America’s National Center for Transgender Equality defines the term saying:

”Most people – including most transgender people – are either male or female. But some people don’t neatly fit into the categories of “man” or “woman,” or “male” or “female.” For example, some people have a gender that blends elements of being a man or a woman, or a gender that is different than either male or female. Some people don’t identify with any gender. Some people’s gender changes over time.“

As you can see, the idea of ‘gender’ is a spectrum, unique to each individual. Being ‘non-binary’ also doesn’t necessarily mean being 50% ‘masculine’ and 50% ‘feminine’. ‘Non-binary’ is an umbrella term and the organisation also notes that other similar terms include ‘genderqueer’, ‘agender’, ‘bigender’ and ‘genderfluid’, amongst others (which can also include ‘demigender’ and ‘pangender’). None of these terms have the exact same definition, but each refer to an experience of gender that isn’t simply male or female.

‘Gender’ differs from ‘sex’, although the two often get confused. ‘Sex’ is biological, (either male, female or intersex – relating to a person or animal that has both male and female sex organs or other sexual characteristics) and is dictated by the genes we inherit and how our external and internal sex and reproductive organs function and respond to hormones.

The NHS and other health providers use ‘sex’, or the body part linked with biological sex, when writing about things that are sex-specific, such as breast and cervical cancer screenings.

‘Gender’ is more abstract and relates to how we uniquely see ourselves and how we describe ourselves in relation to gender. For instance, someone may have the biological sex of a man (so have male genetics and reproductive organs) but identify as having no gender at all or may view themselves as more on the female side of the gender spectrum.

Meanwhile, ‘sexuality’ refers to who we’re attracted to or not attracted to, both emotionally and / or physically, which could include one specific gender. For example, a person whose biological sex is female, may identify as male, and be attracted both emotionally and physically to people who identify as both male and female.

Why is International Non-Binary People’s Day important?

The purpose of International Non-Binary People’s Day is to raise awareness about the challenges that non-binary people face worldwide. Interestingly, it aptly falls on 14th July each year as that date is in-between International Men’s Day and International Women’s Day.

It was only in 2021 that people in England and Wales were first asked about their gender identity in the national census (which is carried out every 10 years). 45.7 million people aged 16 and above (94% of the population in England and Wales over that age) answered the voluntary question: “Is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth?” 262,000 people (0.5%) answered “No”, hinting that their gender identity differed from their sex registered at birth (‘sex registered at birth’ is the biological sex of a baby that’s recorded when an infant’s birth is registered at the local register office or hospital where the baby was born). Of this group of 262,000 people, 30,000 (0.06%) identified as ‘non-binary’.

Casting the net geographically wider, a 2023 survey showed that three percent of respondents from 30 countries identified themselves as transgender, non-binary / non-conforming / gender-fluid, or in another way. Indeed, in a sample of 6,000 that was representative of Brazil’s adult population, non-binary people represented 1.19% of the sample.

‘Trans’ is another umbrella term used to describe people whose current gender identity or gender expression (how they portray their gender to the outside world via dressing, acting or speaking a certain way) differs from the sex they were registered with at birth. The NHS uses ‘trans woman’ to refer to someone who was registered male at birth and now identifies as a woman and ‘trans man’ for someone who was registered female at birth and now identifies as a man.

Note how this can be different from some ‘non-binary’ individuals who may not identify with the male or female gender, or, in fact, with any gender at all. Alternatively, a non-binary person, as mentioned above, may identify as both male and female, setting them apart from transgender individuals.

• It’s clear terms can get confused or misused (‘non-binary’ and ‘transgender’ people often being lumped together, for example). Having a day dedicated to just non-binary people can give them a sense of belonging. It also grants them the recognition and validation they deserve.
  
  
• In addition, it’s apparent that statistical data is only just beginning to emerge on the non-binary population. Given that being ‘non-binary’ isn’t a fad, International Non-Binary People’s Day offers the valuable opportunity to enlighten the public on what it means to be non-binary and the need to respect those who identify as such.
  
  
• The international day is also a chance to tackle the issues the non-binary community face, such as stigmatisation and discrimination. In healthcare, for instance, non-binary trans people can experience ‘invisibility’, which can include being overlooked or ignored by health services. Being non-binary in a society which mainly recognises two binary genders (male and female) has resulted in difficulties in accessing both generic and gender-specific health services. It has even been shown to increase poor mental health outcomes for this population. Further, larger-scale research, specifically focusing solely on non-binary people is needed to examine the healthcare inequalities and challenges experienced by this group.

How to observe International Non-Binary People’s Day

1. Level up your language. Make a commitment to use gender-neutral terms where possible, such as ‘friends’. You could also share your preferred pronouns, whether you like to be referred to as ‘he/him’, ‘she/her’ or ‘they/them’ in your email signature and on social media. Doing so, acts as a reminder to others that it shouldn’t always be assumed what pronouns someone prefers.
   
   Using the correct name and pronouns for someone can make them feel heard and recognised. Non-binary pronouns can sometimes include “they”, whilst others may prefer “he” or “she”. There are also other gender neutral pronouns, such as Ze/hir and per/pers (like a shortened version of ‘person’).
   
   The bottom line is, if you’re unsure which pronouns someone prefers, ask them by simply saying ‘What pronouns do you use?’ or ‘Can your remind me which pronouns you use/prefer?’ Initially, it may feel awkward, but the person is likely to appreciate you taking the time to ask and it’s worthwhile to avoid making an accidental offensive assumption.
   
   Likewise, you can always ask someone who doesn’t seem to conform to a traditional gender, more about their gender identity. If they’re willing to share, they’ll likely be grateful for you opening a dialogue about it with them. If they’d rather not discuss it, that’s okay too, at least they know you’d welcome the chance to learn more, should they be more comfortable to share in the future.
   
   
   
2. Organise a lunch and learn session at work. The fact that you’re reading this article suggests you have an interest in learning more about non-binary people and how you can be more inclusive. Informing your colleagues is one way to take what you learn a step further.
   
   If you know of a colleague who identifies as non-binary, you could approach them privately and, without putting any pressure on them, ask if they’d like to talk to colleagues in a webinar, with your support, about their experiences. Alternatively, you could include their viewpoint anonymously, so your colleagues get a real-life perspective of someone with lived experience. Or you could simply share some of the points covered in this article, such as non-binary being different from transgender, and not being a fad, to help educate colleagues, so they can be more sensitive to non-binary co-workers in the future.
   
   Advocating for policies that promote more non-binary gender inclusion and training mangers to be more inclusive with recruiting and work practices can also make the workplace more inviting for non-binary employees.
   
   
   
3. Attend a non-binary themed event. Searching social media, online and websites like Eventbrite could help you find local events taking place to mark International Non-Binary People’s Day. For example, there’s a T Time Edinburgh informal monthly social meet up open to trans and non-binary people (16+) held at a wheelchair accessible venue. If you’re not non-binary yourself but have a desire to learn more about improving the lives of those in the non-binary community, you could contract any event organisers who may welcome your request to attend, providing you’re respectful.
   
   
   
4. Arrange a school workshop, assembly, or class about what non-binary means. If you work in a school or are a parent, you could explore working with your school to introduce children to the concept of non-binary and that those in the non-binary community deserve respect and acceptance just as any other group in society does. The NSPCC offers advice around how to support children who may be coming to terms with their non-binary identity; some of the advice they share you could weave into your workshop.
   
   You could make the session engaging for children by playing a ‘myth buster’ game with them centring on exposing misconceptions around non-binary people, chat to them about famous non-binary people to show it’s a perfectly okay part of their identity to have and ask young children to create the Non-Binary Pride Flag.
   
   
   
5. Show support on social media. With social platforms being a convenient way to amplify your reach, you could create posts using the non-binary flag to share your message of support. If you’re a non-binary person who’s comfortable doing so, you could use the hashtag #ThisIsWhatNonBinaryLooksLike to emphasise that being non-binary doesn’t require you to look a particular way.

Each day, non-binary people show that knowing one’s self and identity is a valuable tool and a right no one can take away. We hope this article inspires you to continue to support an inclusive and respectful environment on the 14th July and all year round.

Although we’re constantly learning, here at Evergreen Life, we always make efforts to be an inclusive and sensitive health app.

Reviewed by:

Anna Keeble MA BA Wellbeing Expert

Dr Claire Marie Thomas MRCGP DFSRH DTMH DipNLP MBChB BMedSci Medical Expert

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