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(Limited the list of most common nonbinary identities to the very most common. Added sources. Removed a duplicate paragraph. Added content to the sections about history and fiction. Condensed the section about expression. Added a photo of a notable person.)
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'''Nonbinary''' (also spelled '''non-binary''')<ref>[http://gendercensus.com/post/173182166480/gender-census-2018-the-spelling-question Gender Census 2018: The spelling question]</ref> is an umbrella term covering any [[gender identity]] or [[Gender expression|expression]] that does not fit within the [[gender binary]]. The label may also be used by individuals wishing to identify as falling outside of the gender binary without being any more specific about the nature of their gender.
'''Nonbinary''' (also spelled '''non-binary''')<ref>"Gender Census 2018 - the spelling question." ''Gender Census.'' April 22, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2020. http://gendercensus.com/post/173182166480/gender-census-2018-the-spelling-question</ref> means any [[gender identity]] that is not strictly male or female all the time, and so does not fit within the [[gender binary]]. For some people, "nonbinary" is as specific as they want to get about labeling their gender. For others, they call themselves a more specific gender identity under the nonbinary umbrella. Many people who call themselves nonbinary also consider themselves genderqueer. However, the terms have different meanings and connotations: genderqueer means any gender identity or [[gender expression|expression]] which is, itself, queer.


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As an umbrella term, nonbinary has similar scope to [[genderqueer]] with most nonbinary-identifying individuals also considering themselves genderqueer. However the terms have different meanings and connotations. The term genderqueer predates nonbinary by at least a decade.
==History== <!--T:84-->  
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[[File:Marche des Fiertés Paris 02 07 2016 06.jpg|thumb|200px|<translate> <!--T:85--> Photograph taken during the Paris Gay Pride March in 2016. The banner is printed with the colors of the nonbinary flag. The big letters say "My gender is nonbinary," with dozens of names of specific nonbinary identities listed in smaller letters in the background. </translate> ]]
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Kye Rowan designed the nonbinary flag in 2014, shown at right. This flag is meant to "represent nonbinary folk who did not feel that the [[genderqueer flag]] represented them. This flag was intended to go alongside Marilyn Roxie's genderqueer flag rather than replace it. The flag consists of four stripes. From top to bottom, they are yellow, white, purple, and black..  Yellow represents those whose gender exists outside of and without reference to the binary, as yellow is often used to distinguish something as its own. White represents those who have many or all genders, as white is the photological presence of color and/or light. The purple stripe represents those who feel their gender is between or a mix of female and male, as purple is the mix of traditional boy and girl colors. The purple could also be seen as representing the fluidity and uniqueness of nonbinary people. The final black stripe represents those who feel they are without gender, as black is the photological absence of color and/or light." The nonbinary flag and the genderqueer flag are both options for nonbinary people to use to symbolize themselves and take different approaches to how to symbolize nonbinary genders.
{{main|history of nonbinary gender}}


==History== <!--T:86-->  
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There are many other historical events about genders outside the binary, which have existed for all of written history, going back to Sumerian and Akkadian tablets from 2nd millennium BCE and 1700 BCE,<ref>Murray, Stephen O., and Roscoe, Will (1997). ''Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History, and Literature.'' New York: New York University Press.</ref><ref>Nissinen, Martti (1998). ''Homoeroticism in the Biblical World'', Translated by Kirsi Stjedna. Fortress Press (November 1998) p. 30. ISBN|0-8006-2985-X<br>See also: Maul, S. M. (1992). ''Kurgarrû und assinnu und ihr Stand in der babylonischen Gesellschaft.'' Pp. 159–71 in Aussenseiter und Randgruppen. Konstanze Althistorische Vorträge und Forschungern 32. Edited by V. Haas. Konstanz: Universitätsverlag.</ref><ref>Leick, Gwendolyn (1994). ''Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature''. Routledge. New York.</ref> and ancient Egyptian writings from 2000-1800 BCE.<ref>Sethe, Kurt, (1926), ''Die Aechtung feindlicher Fürsten, Völker und Dinge auf altägyptischen Tongefäßscherben des mittleren Reiches,'' in: Abhandlungen der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Klasse, 1926, p. 61.</ref><ref>Sandra  Stewart. "Egyptian third gender." http://www.gendertree.com/Egyptian%20third%20gender.htm</ref> This section focuses only on historical events about people who call themselves by the word "nonbinary."
[[File:Marche des Fiertés Paris 02 07 2016 06.jpg|thumb|200px|<translate> <!--T:87--> Photograph taken during the Paris Gay Pride March in 2016. The banner is printed with the colors of the nonbinary flag. The big letters say "My gender is nonbinary," with dozens of names of specific nonbinary identities listed in smaller letters in the background.</translate>]]
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''See main article at [[history of nonbinary gender]].''
The editors of this wiki have not yet found the earliest recorded use of "nonbinary" as a self-identity label. It appears to have been in use during the first decade of the 2000s.


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In 2014, Kye Rowan designed the nonbinary flag, shown at the top of this article. This flag is meant to "represent nonbinary folk who did not feel that the [[genderqueer flag]] represented them. This flag was intended to go alongside Marilyn Roxie's genderqueer flag rather than replace it. The flag consists of four stripes. From top to bottom: yellow represents those whose gender exists outside of and without reference to the binary as yellow is often used to distinguish something as its own. White represents those who have many or all genders as white is the photological presence of color and/or light. The purple stripe represents those who feel their gender is between or a mix of female and male as purple is the mix of traditional boy and girl colors. The purple also could be seen as representing the fluidity and uniqueness of nonbinary people. The final black stripe represents those who feel they are without gender, as black is the photological absence of color and/or light." The nonbinary flag and the genderqueer flag are both options for nonbinary people to use to symbolize themselves, and take different approaches to how to symbolize nonbinary genders.
Since 2012, the [[International Nonbinary Day]] has been celebrated each 14th of July, with the aim to celebrate and focus on nonbinary people, their successes and contributions to the world and their issues. Katje of "Fierce Femme's Black Market," the person who proposed it, chose that date because it is exactly between International Men's Day and International Women's Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://femmesblackmarket.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/calling-for-an-international-non-binary-gender-day|title=Calling for an International Non-Binary Gender Day|author=Katje|date=8 March 2012|website=Fierce Femme's Black Market|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/non-binary-day-allies/#gs.b0zrkg|title=Prepare for International Non-binary Day by learning how to be a better ally|last=Mathers|first=Charlie|date=13 July 2018|website=Gay Star News|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref>


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In 2014, "Nonbinary" was one of the 56 genders made available on Facebook.<ref>Eve Shapiro, ''Gender circuits: Bodies and identities in a technological age.'' Unpaged.</ref>
In 2013, a user of the social media site Tumblr coined an abbreviation of nonbinary or N.B., "enby." This word and how people have come to use it is discussed below.<ref name="enby cassolotl">[https://cassolotl.tumblr.com/post/620371385484722176 @cassolotl] on Tumblr (September 2013)</ref><ref name="enby revolutionator">vector (revolutionator). ''[http://revolutionator.tumblr.com/post/60853952929/i-wish-there-was-an-nb-equivalent-to-words-like Untitled post]'', September 2013. revolutionator's blog is password-protected, but the post has been reblogged many times, eg: [http://adventuresingender.tumblr.com/post/60940278905/revolutionator-i-wish-there-was-an-nb here], date unknown, captured April 2016.</ref><ref name="enby archeart">{{Cite web |title=Queer Etymology: Enby |author= |work=Androgyne of the Archeart |date=16 December 2019 |access-date=13 June 2020 |url= https://blog.sixy.name/2019/12/16/queer-etymology-enby/}}</ref>
 
== Usage of the term ''enby'' == <!--T:121-->
 
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[[File:Gender_census_enby_usage.png|thumb|Table displaying the percentages of respondents sorted by their preferred word.<ref name="GC20-enby"/>]]
 
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The word ''enby'' (plural ''enbies'', from ''N-B'') is an alternative word that can be used to talk about nonbinary people. It seems to have been coined by Tumblr user revolutionator in 2013 as the nonbinary equivalent of ''boy'' and ''girl''.<ref>[https://cassolotl.tumblr.com/post/620371385484722176 @cassolotl] on Tumblr (September 2013)</ref><ref>vector (revolutionator). ''[http://revolutionator.tumblr.com/post/60853952929/i-wish-there-was-an-nb-equivalent-to-words-like Untitled post]'', September 2013. revolutionator's blog is password-protected, but the post has been reblogged many times, eg: [http://adventuresingender.tumblr.com/post/60940278905/revolutionator-i-wish-there-was-an-nb here], date unknown, captured April 2016.</ref> Due to that wording, many people don't see it as a full equivalent for ''nonbinary,'' using it more for nonbinary people of young age. The 2020 Gender Census shows how the older someone is, the less likely they are to use this word for themselves.<ref name="GC20-enby">{{Cite web|url=https://gendercensus.com/post/620965788841558016/on-enby-and-age|title=On “enby” and age|last1=Cassolotl|first1=|date=15 June 2020|website=Gender Census|access-date=15 June 2020}}</ref>
 
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==Nonbinary identities== <!--T:91-->  
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In 2014, Kye Rowan designed the nonbinary flag, shown at the top of this article. This flag is meant to "represent nonbinary folk who did not feel that the [[genderqueer flag]] represented them. This flag was intended to go alongside Marilyn Roxie's genderqueer flag rather than replace it. The flag consists of four stripes. From top to bottom: yellow represents those whose gender exists outside of and without reference to the binary as yellow is often used to distinguish something as its own. White represents those who have many or all genders, as white is the photological presence of color and/or light. The purple stripe represents those who feel their gender is between or a mix of female and male as purple is the mix of traditional boy and girl colors. The purple also could be seen as representing the fluidity and uniqueness of nonbinary people. The final black stripe represents those who feel they are without gender, as black is the photological absence of color and/or light." The nonbinary flag and the genderqueer flag are both options for nonbinary people to use to symbolize themselves, and take different approaches to how to symbolize nonbinary genders.


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{{main|List_of_nonbinary_identities}}
In 2014, the social media site Facebook began to allow users to set their profiles as any of 56 genders, one of which was called "nonbinary."<ref>Eve Shapiro, ''Gender circuits: Bodies and identities in a technological age.'' Unpaged.</ref>


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Some of the more common identities that fall under the nonbinary umbrella include, but are not limited to:
In 2017, in the USA, the state of California passed the 2017 Gender Recognition Act "to ensure that intersex, transgender, and nonbinary people have state-issued identification documents that provide full legal [[Recognition (USA)|recognition]] of their accurate gender identity."<ref name="Bermudez">{{Cite web |title=California’s Gender Recognition Act and Impact on Employers - Klinedinst |last=Bermudez |first=Nadia P. |work=Klinedinst Attorneys |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=May 14, 2020 |url= https://klinedinstlaw.com/employment-law/california-gender-recognition-act-impact-employers}}</ref><ref name="SB179">{{Cite web |title=Fact Sheet: California's Gender Recognition Act (SB 179) |author=Transgender Law Center |work= |date=2018 |access-date=May 14, 2020 |url= https://transgenderlawcenter.org/resources/id/ca-sb179}}</ref>


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*'''[[Agender]]''' aka '''Genderless''', '''Non-gender''' - Having no gender identity or no gender to express (Similar and sometimes used interchangeably with Gender Neutral and/or Neutrois).
In 2018, in the USA, Washington state began to allow "X" gender markers on official documents<ref name="Jackman">{{Cite web |title=Washington to recognise third gender in groundbreaking move |last=Jackman |first=Josh |work=PinkNews |date=5 January 2018 |access-date=14 May 2020 |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/05/washington-to-recognise-third-gender-in-groundbreaking-move/}}</ref>, with the law stating that {{quote|"X" means a gender that is not exclusively male or female, including, but not limited to, [[intersex]], [[agender]], [[amalgagender]], [[androgynous]], [[bigender]], [[demigender]], female-to-male, [[genderfluid]], [[genderqueer]], male-to-female, [[neutrois]], [[nonbinary]], [[pangender]], [[third gender|third sex]], [[transgender]], [[transsexual]], [[Two Spirit]], and unspecified.<ref name="washington">{{Cite web |title=WAC 246-490-075: Changing sex designation on a birth certificate. |author= |work=Washington State Legislature |date= |access-date=14 May 2020 |url= https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=246-490-075}}</ref>}} Also in 2018, well-known cartoonist and songwriter [[Rebecca Sugar]] came out as a nonbinary woman.
*'''[[Androgyne]]''' aka '''Androgynous gender''' - Identifying or presenting between the binary options of man and woman or masculine and feminine (Similar and sometimes used interchangeably with Intergender).
*'''[[Multigender]]''' (may also include [[Androgyne]]) - Moving between two or more different gender identities at different times/situations or having more than one gender identity at one time. Some multigender identities are '''[[bigender]]''', '''[[polygender]]''', and '''[[genderfluid]]'''.
*'''[[Gender Neutral]]''' aka '''Neutral Gender''' - Having a neutral gender identity and/or expression, or identifying with the preference for [[gender neutral language]] and [[pronouns]].
*'''[[Genderqueer]]''' aka '''Gender Queer''' - Non-normative gender identity or expression. While genderqueer originated as an inclusive umbrella term, it is also considered by many to be an individual identity.
*'''[[Intergender]]''' - Having a gender identity between the two binary options of man and woman or masculine and feminine
*'''[[Neutrois]]''' - Belonging to a non-gendered or neutral gendered class, usually but '''not always''' used to indicate the desire to hide or remove gender cues
*'''Nonbinary''' or '''non-binary''' - Identifying with the umbrella term covering all people with gender outside of the binary, without defining oneself more specifically. Is also used as an individual identity in itself. One could be [[butch|nonbinary butch]] or [[femme|nonbinary femme]].
*'''[[Transgender]]''' - Identifying with the umbrella term covering all gender identities or expressions that transgress or transcend (go beyond the limits of) society’s rules and concepts of gender (Transgender is a wide umbrella term also covering people who hold [[binary gender]] identities and expressions but who transgress gender by transitioning between the binary genders).


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You can read about many more of these at [[list of nonbinary identities]].
In 2019, Collins Dictionary added the word "non-binary".<ref name="wale_Coll">{{Cite web |title=Collins Dictionary recognise the word 'non-binary' |last=McGee |first=Sarah |work=WalesOnline |date=7 November 2019 |access-date=27 May 2020 |url= https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/collins-dictionary-recognises-word-non-17212246}}</ref>


==Nonbinary presentation and expression== <!--T:96-->  
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== Enby == <!--T:96-->


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There is no single or 'correct' way to perform a nonbinary gender. Most nonbinary people are primarily motivated by the desire to be comfortable and true to themselves rather than attempting to follow any particular gender role. Nonbinary people may or may not experience [[gender dysphoria]] or may experience only bodily or social dysphoria. Nonbinary is a wide umbrella term covering a large number of gender identities and expressions. Whichever way any particular nonbinary person needs or chooses to present, express or perform their gender is as valid as any other.
[[File:Gender_census_enby_usage.png|thumb|<translate> <!--T:97--> Table displaying the percentages of respondents sorted by their preferred word.<ref name="GC20-enby"/> </translate> ]]
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Not all nonbinary people experience gender dysphoria or follow the '[[transition]]' narrative. Some feel that there is no social role or body to 'transition' to and so simply focus on being themselves.
The word ''enby'' (plural ''enbies'', derived from "N.B.," the initialism of "non-binary") is a common noun meaning "nonbinary person." It was coined by Tumblr user vector (revolutionator) in 2013 as the nonbinary common noun equivalent of "boy" or "girl."<ref name="enby cassolotl" /><ref name="enby revolutionator" /><ref name="enby archeart" /> Due to that wording, some nonbinary people question whether it can also be used as a nonbinary common noun equivalent of "man" or "woman." The 2020 Gender Census shows that older nonbinary people less often call themselves enbies.<ref name="GC20-enby">{{Cite web|url=https://gendercensus.com/post/620965788841558016/on-enby-and-age|title=On “enby” and age|last1=Cassolotl|first1=|date=15 June 2020|website=Gender Census|access-date=15 June 2020}}</ref>


===Androgynous or gender neutral presentation=== <!--T:99-->  
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==Nonbinary identities== <!--T:99-->  


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Some nonbinary people may choose or need to present an [[Androgyny|androgynous]] or [[gender neutral]] gender expression; perhaps choosing to hide, remove or blend [[gender cues]]. This is personal to each individual and is not any ''more nonbinary'' than any other way of expressing a nonbinary gender.
{{main|list of nonbinary identities}}
 
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Some nonbinary people experience bodily dysphoria relating to certain primary or secondary [[sexual characteristics]]. The act of obscuring, removing or replacing these sexual characteristics in order to reduce gender dysphoria may result in physical androgyny without the individual having set out to specifically obtain an androgynous presentation.


===Genderfuck=== <!--T:102-->  
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Some of the more common identities under the nonbinary umbrella include:


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Some nonbinary people may choose or need to present a 'clashing' combination of [[gender cues]] that are incongruous, challenging or shocking to those who expect others to fit the [[gender binary]]. For example, combining a beard with makeup and a padded bra. This practice of transgressively breaking the rules of gender presentation is known as ''[[Clothing|genderfuck]]'', ''genderfucking'' or sometimes ''genderpunk''.
*'''[[Agender]]''', also called '''[[genderless]]''' or '''[[non-gendered]],''' means having no gender identity.<ref name="Trans Bodies 611">Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. ''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.'' Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 611.</ref><ref name="2019 Gender Census">"Gender Census 2019 - The Worldwide tl;dr." ''Gender Census'' (blog). March 31, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2020. https://gendercensus.com/post/183843963445/gender-census-2019-the-worldwide-tldr Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200118084451/https://gendercensus.com/post/183843963445/gender-census-2019-the-worldwide-tldr</ref><ref name="trans bodies 617">Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. ''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.'' Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 617.</ref>


===Gender neutral language=== <!--T:104-->
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*'''[[Androgyne]]''' (from Latin, meaning "man-woman")<ref>"Androgyne." ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary.'' Retrieved July 5, 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/androgyne</ref> and has been used for many kinds of people who don't fit into the gender binary. Even a century ago, some people who called themselves androgynes saw themselves as a mix of male and female.<ref name="Trans Bodies 611" /><ref>Katz, Jonathan Ned. "Transgender Memoir of 1921 Found". ''Humanities and Social Sciences Online''. N.p., 10 October 2010. Web. Retrieved April 13, 2017.</ref>


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Some nonbinary people prefer to be referred to using [[gender neutral language]] and [[pronouns]]. Some choose a [[gender neutral titles|gender neutral title]] such as Mx or Misc for formal communications. Others may opt for no title.
*'''[[Bigender]]''' people feel they have two genders at the same time, or moving back and forth between them at different times.<ref name="Trans Bodies 611"></ref><ref name="Schneider APA 2008">Schneider, M., et al, American Psychological Association, ''APA Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions'', 2008 [http://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/transgender.pdf Answers to Your Questions About Transgender People, Gender Identity, And Gender Expression] (PDF), date unknown, captured April 2016.</ref><ref name="2019 Gender Census" />


===Expanding or subverting binary gender roles and language=== <!--T:106-->
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*'''[[Genderfluid]]''' people move between different gender identities and expressions at different times.<ref name="Trans Bodies 614">Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. ''Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community.'' Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 614.</ref><ref name="2019 Gender Census" />


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Some nonbinary people prefer to expand on or subvert what is considered socially acceptable for their [[assigned gender]]. This may involve preferring binary [[pronouns]] while [[crossdressing]], blending or mixing [[gender cues]] or otherwise subverting the expectations society places on that gender role. Some may consider this to be a political act, for others this is simply an expression of self identity or personality.
*'''[[Gender neutral]]''' or '''[[neutrois]]''' can mean being genderless, or it can mean having a gender identity that is not female, not male, and not a mix, but simply neutral.<ref name="Trans Bodies 614" /><ref name="2019 Gender Census" />
Some nonbinary people have no preference for gender neutral language but instead have a preference against the language and pronouns associated with the gender they were [[assigned gender|assigned at birth]].


== Notable nonbinary people == <!--T:108-->  
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*'''[[Genderqueer]]''': Any gender identity or expression which is queer, in and of itself. That is, a gender which is transgressive and non-normative. This can be an umbrella term, or a specific identity. The word comes from 1995.<ref>"Answering gender questions concerning genderqueer." ''Genderqueer ID.'' http://genderqueerid.com/post/8813994851/answering-gender-questions-coining-genderqueer</ref><ref name="Trans Bodies 614" /><ref name="2019 Gender Census" />  


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*'''Nonbinary''' means any gender outside the gender binary. That is, any identity which is not solely male or female all the time. Though there are many kinds of nonbinary identities, any people use this as the only name for their gender.<ref name="2019 Gender Census" />
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==Nonbinary expression== <!--T:110-->
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There is no one right way to perform a nonbinary gender. Most nonbinary people are primarily motivated to do what feels comfortable and true to themselves, rather than attempting to follow any particular gender role. Whichever way any particular nonbinary person needs or chooses to present, express, or perform their gender is as valid as any other.
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Nonbinary people may or may not experience [[gender dysphoria]], or may experience only bodily or social dysphoria. Some nonbinary people choose to [[transition]] by making social and physical changes that suit them better. Other nonbinary people do not make life changes that they see as part of the transition narrative. Some feel that there is no social role or body to "transition" to, and so simply focus on being themselves. Some nonbinary people choose or need to present an [[Androgyny|androgynous]] or [[gender neutral]] gender expression, and others do not. Some nonbinary people wear [[clothing]] that could be seen as [[crossdressing]], and some nonbinary people do not. Some nonbinary people prefer to be referred to using [[gender neutral language]], [[gender neutral titles|titles]], and [[pronouns]]. Other nonbinary people are comfortable with being called by gendered language.
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All of these are completely individual choices based on what any one nonbinary person personally feels they want to, need to, or must do in order to feel more comfortable and more like themselves.
{{Clear}}
== Notable nonbinary people == <!--T:114-->
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[[File:Rebecca Sugar Peabody Awards.jpg|thumb|200px|<translate> <!--T:115--> Cartoonist [[Rebecca Sugar]] at the Peabody Awards in 2019. </translate> ]]
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''See main article: [[Notable nonbinary people]]''
''See main article: [[Notable nonbinary people]]''


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There are many more [[notable nonbinary people|notable people who have a gender identity outside of the binary]]. The following are only some of those notable people who specifically use the word "nonbinary" for themselves.  
There are many more [[notable nonbinary people|notable people who have a gender identity outside of the binary]]. The following are only some of those notable people who specifically use the word "nonbinary" for themselves.  


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* [[Notable nonbinary people#Olly Alexander|Olly Alexander]], the lead singer and songwriter for electropop band Years and Years.<ref name=alexanderout>[https://open.spotify.com/track/6kKyebFUFBo7tTvePMFJuK Years &amp; Years: Inspiring - #PlessPlayForPride] Spotify, June 7 2016</ref>  
* [[Notable nonbinary people#Olly Alexander|Olly Alexander]], the lead singer and songwriter for electropop band Years and Years.<ref name=alexanderout>[https://open.spotify.com/track/6kKyebFUFBo7tTvePMFJuK Years &amp; Years: Inspiring - #PlessPlayForPride] Spotify, June 7 2016</ref>  
* [[Kate Bornstein]], an influential writer on gender theory, publishing books on the subject from the 1990s to the present.<ref>Retrieved November 11, 2019. http://katebornstein.com</ref>  
* [[Kate Bornstein]], an influential writer on gender theory, publishing books on the subject from the 1990s to the present.<ref>Retrieved November 11, 2019. http://katebornstein.com</ref>  
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* [[Notable nonbinary people#Sam Smith|Sam Smith]], a renowned English singer, Grammy winner and nominee. They came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them in September of 2019. <ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49688123</ref>
* [[Notable nonbinary people#Sam Smith|Sam Smith]], a renowned English singer, Grammy winner and nominee. They came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them in September of 2019. <ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49688123</ref>


== Nonbinary characters in fiction == <!--T:112-->
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== Nonbinary characters in fiction == <!--T:119-->


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''See main article: [[Nonbinary gender in fiction#Nonbinary genders in fiction|Nonbinary gender in fiction]]''
''See main article: [[Nonbinary gender in fiction#Nonbinary genders in fiction|Nonbinary gender in fiction]]''


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There are many more [[Nonbinary gender in fiction#Nonbinary genders in fiction|nonbinary characters in fiction who have a gender identity outside of the binary]]. The following are only some of those characters who are specifically called by the word "nonbinary," either in their canon, or by their creators.
There are many more characters in fiction who have a gender identity outside of the binary. The following are only some of those characters who are specifically called by the word "nonbinary," either in their canon, or by their creators.


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''Please expand this section, giving quotes that show that the characters are specifically called by the word "nonbinary."''
* Ben De Backer in ''I Wish You All The Best'' is nonbinary. (Their sister is accepting but the rest of the family isn't.)<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Nonbinary Teen Makes Their Way In The World In 'I Wish You All The Best' |last=Kontis |first=Alethea |work=NPR.org |date=1 June 2019 |access-date=9 May 2020 |url= https://www.npr.org/2019/06/01/726669344/a-nonbinary-teen-makes-their-way-in-the-world-in-i-wish-you-all-the-best}}</ref> The author, [[Mason Deaver]], is also nonbinary.
* Several characters in ''Crooked Words'', an anthology by K.A. Cook.
* The character Lark in ''Divided Worlds'' and ''The Ascension of Lark'', by Jennifer Ridge
* ''An Unkindness of Ghosts'', by [[Rivers Solomon]]. The author has said of a character in the book, "Theo is a nonbinary trans woman. These are my interpretations, but arguments could certainly be made for other classifiers."<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625035918/https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|url=https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|date=10 October 2018|archive-date=25 June 2019|title=An Interview with Author Rivers Solomon|last=Falck|first=Alex}}</ref>
* ''First Spring Grass Fire'', by Rae Spoon, tells the story of a nonbinary child growing up.
* Lelia in ''The Lost Coast'', by Amy Rose Capetta, is a nonbinary gray-asexual, and described as such in the text.
* The 2019 YA book ''In the Silences'' has many characters who self-define as nonbinary, including the protagonist.<ref>{{cite book|title=In the Silences|year=2019|last=Roberts|first=Ann|publisher=Bella Books|ISBN=9781642471267}}</ref>
* ''[http://www.robot-hugs.com/ Robot Hugs]'' - semi-autobiographical webcomic by an author of nonbinary gender, which frequently addresses nonbinary issues and other aspects of gender politics. Also frequently covers the subject of mental health. Updates twice weekly.
* ''[https://www.gocomics.com/phoebe-and-her-unicorn/2019/02/05 Phoebe and her Unicorn]'' by Dana Simpson has a nonbinary character named Infernus, the Unicorn of Death. Phoebe uses the pronoun "neigh" for Infernus.<ref>[https://www.gocomics.com/phoebe-and-her-unicorn/2019/02/09]</ref>
*In ''John Wick 3,'' the Adjudicator is nonbinary and played by Asia Kate Dillon, who is also nonbinary.<ref>"[https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/05/27/asia-kate-dillon-john-wick-non-binary/ Asia Kate Dillon suggested their John Wick 3 character be non-binary]", Pink News, 27 May 2019.</ref>
*Bishop in the Fox drama series ''Deputy'' is nonbinary canonically, thanks to a suggestion by the character's actor [[Bex Taylor-Klaus]] who is also nonbinary.<ref name="Bentley">{{Cite web |title=Bex Taylor-Klaus Hopes Their Nonbinary 'Deputy' Character Will Save Lives |last=Bentley |first=Jean |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=14 February 2020 |access-date=23 April 2020 |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bex-taylor-klaus-deputy-binary-reveal-1279351 }}</ref>
*''[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdi8HPMwFpYIf3qQlv7A0fg?&amp;ab_channel=Couple-ish Couple-ish]'', a light-hearted rom-com webseries, features a nonbinary main character (Dee). Dee goes by they/them/their pronouns, and explicitly describes themselves as nonbinary in one episode.


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Revision as of 05:18, 11 July 2020

Other languages:
« I'm still facing doubts and questions on this journey but despite the hardships that come with being under the trans umbrella, I have no regrets and have immense hope for the future. I am learning to love myself and live beyond the binary. »
— Jay, 19 (Nonbinary)[1]
Nonbinary
Nonbinary.png
Meaning
-Yellow: gender without reference to the binary.
-White: many or all genders.
-Purple: gender between or a mix of female and male.
-Black: lack of gender.
Related identities transgender, genderqueer
Click here to see alternative flags!

Nonbinary (also spelled non-binary)[2] means any gender identity that is not strictly male or female all the time, and so does not fit within the gender binary. For some people, "nonbinary" is as specific as they want to get about labeling their gender. For others, they call themselves a more specific gender identity under the nonbinary umbrella. Many people who call themselves nonbinary also consider themselves genderqueer. However, the terms have different meanings and connotations: genderqueer means any gender identity or expression which is, itself, queer.

History

Photograph taken during the Paris Gay Pride March in 2016. The banner is printed with the colors of the nonbinary flag. The big letters say "My gender is nonbinary," with dozens of names of specific nonbinary identities listed in smaller letters in the background.

There is more information about this topic here: history of nonbinary gender

There are many other historical events about genders outside the binary, which have existed for all of written history, going back to Sumerian and Akkadian tablets from 2nd millennium BCE and 1700 BCE,[3][4][5] and ancient Egyptian writings from 2000-1800 BCE.[6][7] This section focuses only on historical events about people who call themselves by the word "nonbinary."

The editors of this wiki have not yet found the earliest recorded use of "nonbinary" as a self-identity label. It appears to have been in use during the first decade of the 2000s.

Since 2012, the International Nonbinary Day has been celebrated each 14th of July, with the aim to celebrate and focus on nonbinary people, their successes and contributions to the world and their issues. Katje of "Fierce Femme's Black Market," the person who proposed it, chose that date because it is exactly between International Men's Day and International Women's Day.[8][9]

In 2013, a user of the social media site Tumblr coined an abbreviation of nonbinary or N.B., "enby." This word and how people have come to use it is discussed below.[10][11][12]

In 2014, Kye Rowan designed the nonbinary flag, shown at the top of this article. This flag is meant to "represent nonbinary folk who did not feel that the genderqueer flag represented them. This flag was intended to go alongside Marilyn Roxie's genderqueer flag rather than replace it. The flag consists of four stripes. From top to bottom: yellow represents those whose gender exists outside of and without reference to the binary as yellow is often used to distinguish something as its own. White represents those who have many or all genders, as white is the photological presence of color and/or light. The purple stripe represents those who feel their gender is between or a mix of female and male as purple is the mix of traditional boy and girl colors. The purple also could be seen as representing the fluidity and uniqueness of nonbinary people. The final black stripe represents those who feel they are without gender, as black is the photological absence of color and/or light." The nonbinary flag and the genderqueer flag are both options for nonbinary people to use to symbolize themselves, and take different approaches to how to symbolize nonbinary genders.

In 2014, the social media site Facebook began to allow users to set their profiles as any of 56 genders, one of which was called "nonbinary."[13]

In 2017, in the USA, the state of California passed the 2017 Gender Recognition Act "to ensure that intersex, transgender, and nonbinary people have state-issued identification documents that provide full legal recognition of their accurate gender identity."[14][15]

In 2018, in the USA, Washington state began to allow "X" gender markers on official documents[16], with the law stating that

« "X" means a gender that is not exclusively male or female, including, but not limited to, intersex, agender, amalgagender, androgynous, bigender, demigender, female-to-male, genderfluid, genderqueer, male-to-female, neutrois, nonbinary, pangender, third sex, transgender, transsexual, Two Spirit, and unspecified.[17] »

Also in 2018, well-known cartoonist and songwriter Rebecca Sugar came out as a nonbinary woman.

In 2019, Collins Dictionary added the word "non-binary".[18]

Enby

Table displaying the percentages of respondents sorted by their preferred word.[19]

The word enby (plural enbies, derived from "N.B.," the initialism of "non-binary") is a common noun meaning "nonbinary person." It was coined by Tumblr user vector (revolutionator) in 2013 as the nonbinary common noun equivalent of "boy" or "girl."[10][11][12] Due to that wording, some nonbinary people question whether it can also be used as a nonbinary common noun equivalent of "man" or "woman." The 2020 Gender Census shows that older nonbinary people less often call themselves enbies.[19]

Nonbinary identities

There is more information about this topic here: list of nonbinary identities

Some of the more common identities under the nonbinary umbrella include:

  • Androgyne (from Latin, meaning "man-woman")[23] and has been used for many kinds of people who don't fit into the gender binary. Even a century ago, some people who called themselves androgynes saw themselves as a mix of male and female.[20][24]
  • Bigender people feel they have two genders at the same time, or moving back and forth between them at different times.[20][25][21]
  • Genderfluid people move between different gender identities and expressions at different times.[26][21]
  • Gender neutral or neutrois can mean being genderless, or it can mean having a gender identity that is not female, not male, and not a mix, but simply neutral.[26][21]
  • Genderqueer: Any gender identity or expression which is queer, in and of itself. That is, a gender which is transgressive and non-normative. This can be an umbrella term, or a specific identity. The word comes from 1995.[27][26][21]
  • Nonbinary means any gender outside the gender binary. That is, any identity which is not solely male or female all the time. Though there are many kinds of nonbinary identities, any people use this as the only name for their gender.[21]

Nonbinary expression

There is no one right way to perform a nonbinary gender. Most nonbinary people are primarily motivated to do what feels comfortable and true to themselves, rather than attempting to follow any particular gender role. Whichever way any particular nonbinary person needs or chooses to present, express, or perform their gender is as valid as any other.

Nonbinary people may or may not experience gender dysphoria, or may experience only bodily or social dysphoria. Some nonbinary people choose to transition by making social and physical changes that suit them better. Other nonbinary people do not make life changes that they see as part of the transition narrative. Some feel that there is no social role or body to "transition" to, and so simply focus on being themselves. Some nonbinary people choose or need to present an androgynous or gender neutral gender expression, and others do not. Some nonbinary people wear clothing that could be seen as crossdressing, and some nonbinary people do not. Some nonbinary people prefer to be referred to using gender neutral language, titles, and pronouns. Other nonbinary people are comfortable with being called by gendered language.

All of these are completely individual choices based on what any one nonbinary person personally feels they want to, need to, or must do in order to feel more comfortable and more like themselves.

Notable nonbinary people

Cartoonist Rebecca Sugar at the Peabody Awards in 2019.

See main article: Notable nonbinary people

There are many more notable people who have a gender identity outside of the binary. The following are only some of those notable people who specifically use the word "nonbinary" for themselves.

  • Olly Alexander, the lead singer and songwriter for electropop band Years and Years.[28]
  • Kate Bornstein, an influential writer on gender theory, publishing books on the subject from the 1990s to the present.[29]
  • Amanda Stenberg, a singer and actor who has won the BET Awards for YoungStar Award.[30][31]
  • Rebecca Sugar (a nonbinary woman) is a writer, songwriter, and artist whose work on the cartoon series Adventure Time and Steven Universe has earned her six Primetime Emmy Award nominations.[32]
  • Sam Smith, a renowned English singer, Grammy winner and nominee. They came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them in September of 2019. [33]

Nonbinary characters in fiction

See main article: Nonbinary gender in fiction

There are many more characters in fiction who have a gender identity outside of the binary. The following are only some of those characters who are specifically called by the word "nonbinary," either in their canon, or by their creators.

  • Ben De Backer in I Wish You All The Best is nonbinary. (Their sister is accepting but the rest of the family isn't.)[34] The author, Mason Deaver, is also nonbinary.
  • Several characters in Crooked Words, an anthology by K.A. Cook.
  • The character Lark in Divided Worlds and The Ascension of Lark, by Jennifer Ridge
  • An Unkindness of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon. The author has said of a character in the book, "Theo is a nonbinary trans woman. These are my interpretations, but arguments could certainly be made for other classifiers."[35]
  • First Spring Grass Fire, by Rae Spoon, tells the story of a nonbinary child growing up.
  • Lelia in The Lost Coast, by Amy Rose Capetta, is a nonbinary gray-asexual, and described as such in the text.
  • The 2019 YA book In the Silences has many characters who self-define as nonbinary, including the protagonist.[36]
  • Robot Hugs - semi-autobiographical webcomic by an author of nonbinary gender, which frequently addresses nonbinary issues and other aspects of gender politics. Also frequently covers the subject of mental health. Updates twice weekly.
  • Phoebe and her Unicorn by Dana Simpson has a nonbinary character named Infernus, the Unicorn of Death. Phoebe uses the pronoun "neigh" for Infernus.[37]
  • In John Wick 3, the Adjudicator is nonbinary and played by Asia Kate Dillon, who is also nonbinary.[38]
  • Bishop in the Fox drama series Deputy is nonbinary canonically, thanks to a suggestion by the character's actor Bex Taylor-Klaus who is also nonbinary.[39]
  • Couple-ish, a light-hearted rom-com webseries, features a nonbinary main character (Dee). Dee goes by they/them/their pronouns, and explicitly describes themselves as nonbinary in one episode.

See also

References

  1. ↑ This quote is a snippet from an answer to the survey conducted in the year 2018. Note for editors: the text of the quote, as well as the name, age and gender identity of its author shouldn't be changed.
  2. ↑ "Gender Census 2018 - the spelling question." Gender Census. April 22, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2020. http://gendercensus.com/post/173182166480/gender-census-2018-the-spelling-question
  3. ↑ Murray, Stephen O., and Roscoe, Will (1997). Islamic Homosexualities: Culture, History, and Literature. New York: New York University Press.
  4. ↑ Nissinen, Martti (1998). Homoeroticism in the Biblical World, Translated by Kirsi Stjedna. Fortress Press (November 1998) p. 30. ISBN|0-8006-2985-X
    See also: Maul, S. M. (1992). Kurgarrû und assinnu und ihr Stand in der babylonischen Gesellschaft. Pp. 159–71 in Aussenseiter und Randgruppen. Konstanze Althistorische Vorträge und Forschungern 32. Edited by V. Haas. Konstanz: Universitätsverlag.
  5. ↑ Leick, Gwendolyn (1994). Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature. Routledge. New York.
  6. ↑ Sethe, Kurt, (1926), Die Aechtung feindlicher Fürsten, Völker und Dinge auf altägyptischen Tongefäßscherben des mittleren Reiches, in: Abhandlungen der Preussischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Philosophisch-Historische Klasse, 1926, p. 61.
  7. ↑ Sandra Stewart. "Egyptian third gender." http://www.gendertree.com/Egyptian%20third%20gender.htm
  8. ↑ Katje (8 March 2012). "Calling for an International Non-Binary Gender Day". Fierce Femme's Black Market. Retrieved 30 March 2020. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  9. ↑ Mathers, Charlie (13 July 2018). "Prepare for International Non-binary Day by learning how to be a better ally". Gay Star News. Retrieved 30 March 2020. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 @cassolotl on Tumblr (September 2013)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 vector (revolutionator). Untitled post, September 2013. revolutionator's blog is password-protected, but the post has been reblogged many times, eg: here, date unknown, captured April 2016.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Queer Etymology: Enby". Androgyne of the Archeart. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  13. ↑ Eve Shapiro, Gender circuits: Bodies and identities in a technological age. Unpaged.
  14. ↑ Bermudez, Nadia P. (November 8, 2017). "California's Gender Recognition Act and Impact on Employers - Klinedinst". Klinedinst Attorneys. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  15. ↑ Transgender Law Center (2018). "Fact Sheet: California's Gender Recognition Act (SB 179)". Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  16. ↑ Jackman, Josh (5 January 2018). "Washington to recognise third gender in groundbreaking move". PinkNews. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  17. ↑ "WAC 246-490-075: Changing sex designation on a birth certificate". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  18. ↑ McGee, Sarah (7 November 2019). "Collins Dictionary recognise the word 'non-binary'". WalesOnline. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Cassolotl (15 June 2020). "On "enby" and age". Gender Census. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community. Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 611.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 "Gender Census 2019 - The Worldwide tl;dr." Gender Census (blog). March 31, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2020. https://gendercensus.com/post/183843963445/gender-census-2019-the-worldwide-tldr Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200118084451/https://gendercensus.com/post/183843963445/gender-census-2019-the-worldwide-tldr
  22. ↑ Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community. Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 617.
  23. ↑ "Androgyne." Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved July 5, 2020. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/androgyne
  24. ↑ Katz, Jonathan Ned. "Transgender Memoir of 1921 Found". Humanities and Social Sciences Online. N.p., 10 October 2010. Web. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  25. ↑ Schneider, M., et al, American Psychological Association, APA Task Force on Gender Identity, Gender Variance, and Intersex Conditions, 2008 Answers to Your Questions About Transgender People, Gender Identity, And Gender Expression (PDF), date unknown, captured April 2016.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Laura Erickson-Schroth, ed. Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community. Oxford University Press, 2014. P. 614.
  27. ↑ "Answering gender questions concerning genderqueer." Genderqueer ID. http://genderqueerid.com/post/8813994851/answering-gender-questions-coining-genderqueer
  28. ↑ Years & Years: Inspiring - #PlessPlayForPride Spotify, June 7 2016
  29. ↑ Retrieved November 11, 2019. http://katebornstein.com
  30. ↑ hi folks, @dazedfields and I are organizing a workshop on feminism, amandla.tumblr.com, March 2, 2016
  31. ↑ Hunger Games actress says she 'doesn't feel like a woman all the time', Gay Star News, March 4, 2016
  32. ↑ https://io9.gizmodo.com/steven-universes-rebecca-sugar-on-how-she-expresses-her-1827624015?IR=T
  33. ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-49688123
  34. ↑ Kontis, Alethea (1 June 2019). "A Nonbinary Teen Makes Their Way In The World In 'I Wish You All The Best'". NPR.org. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  35. ↑ Falck, Alex (10 October 2018). "An Interview with Author Rivers Solomon". Archived from the original on 25 June 2019.
  36. ↑ Roberts, Ann (2019). In the Silences. Bella Books. ISBN 9781642471267.
  37. ↑ [1]
  38. ↑ "Asia Kate Dillon suggested their John Wick 3 character be non-binary", Pink News, 27 May 2019.
  39. ↑ Bentley, Jean (14 February 2020). "Bex Taylor-Klaus Hopes Their Nonbinary 'Deputy' Character Will Save Lives". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
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