Celebrating Non-Binary People's Day

July 14th is International Non-Binary People’s Day, a day to celebrate non-binary people and raise awareness about non-binary identities.

Non-binary, like all terms that describe something so personal as gender-identity, does not have a single definition. One definition of non-binary from the Trans Care BC website is: “An umbrella term which refers to diverse people whose gender identity is neither female nor male. Some individuals identify as non-binary, whereas others may use terms such as Gender Non-conforming, Genderqueer, or Agender. Non-binary people may or may not conform to societal expectations for their gender expression and gender role, and they may or may not seek gender-affirming medical or surgical care.”

Recognizing that gender is more expansive than man and woman helps us communicate about gender in more inclusive ways. Check out this resource for suggestions on using inclusive language for gendered terms.