What is Non-Binary?

“Non” stands for not, while “binary” refers to the two genders that we tend to hear about most often (man/boy and woman/girl). Non-binary is an umbrella term that encompasses many other gender identities outside the binary, and is also a gender identity term that people may identify with on its own.

Not all people who identify with this label experience their gender in the exact same way. Some of the ways that non-binary people have described their identity include: feeling like they are a third gender, feeling like they are a mix of man and woman, feeling like they are genderless (also known as ‘agender’) or feeling like they are somewhere in between the genders of man and woman. Some people who identify as non-binary also identify as transgender, while others do not. Gender identity is an innate sense of self that is different from person to person and can be fluid over time.

Some non-binary people use “they/them” pronouns or neo-pronouns (modern pronouns that are outside traditional pronouns) to describe themselves, though each person is different. It is important to respect and use the pronouns that someone feels comfortable with.

The concept of gender identities beyond man and woman is not new.

Many cultures throughout history and across the globe recognize three or more genders. For example, in Canada before colonization, some First Nations recognized up to six genders. Some of these identities were lost due to the forced implementation of colonial gender roles, though many Indigenous communities today are reclaiming their histories and culture.

Another example of people in different parts of the world that identify outside of the gender binary are the Hijra people in India, a group that is considered a third gender legally recognized by the government.

Today, many governments recognize non-binary identities; the Canadian government is working to incorporate these genders into future census collection and legal documents.