{"id":18228,"date":"2020-09-22T09:51:03","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T07:51:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=18228"},"modified":"2020-09-22T09:51:03","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T07:51:03","slug":"what-does-it-mean-to-be-non-binary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/what-does-it-mean-to-be-non-binary\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does it Mean to be Non-Binary?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the growing awareness around the many nuances of gender and sexuality, comes more and more people who identify as \u201cgender non-binary\u201d. If this is a totally new concept to you – not to worry! We\u2019re here to answer some of the most common questions<\/span> regarding gender fluidity. Maybe you yourself have questioned whether you may be non-binary – welcome! No matter where you are in your understanding of gender, let this be a guide to help shed some light on this somewhat elusive topic.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Not a Third Gender<\/b><\/p>\n

One common misconception that people have around gender, is that non-binary is a \u201cthird gender\u201d. Let\u2019s clear this up right now – it\u2019s not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The identity of someone who is non-binary is one that is shaped outside of the societal constructs of a strict \u201cgender binary\u201d. Meaning one thing or the other. Male or female. Girl or boy. Man or woman. To so many, this feels rigid, limiting, and downright oppressive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Helpful Terms<\/b><\/p>\n

Before you dive into the world of non-binary-ness, it\u2019s important to have a basic understanding of these terms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cis-Gender, <\/b>is when someone\u2019s gender identity matches that which they were assigned at birth. Ex: \u201cI was born a female, and I identify as a woman\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trans: <\/b>Trans is someone whose gender identity is different than the sex they were assigned at birth. Some trans people\u2019s journey involves hormone replacement therapy and\/or surgery, however, it certainly doesn\u2019t have to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many trans people also identify as non-binary, or vice versa. In much the same sentiment, every trans person\u2019s journey is highly individualized and they may or may not want to adhere to society\u2019s standards of what it means to be a man or a woman.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To Each Their Own<\/b><\/p>\n

Someone who is non-binary may feel an equal balance of male and female energies. Or they may feel neither, or \u2018a-gender\u2019. They may feel these energies all at once, or never at all, or a constant changing of them, fluctuating much like the Earth\u2019s seasons. There is no one way to be non-binary, and each person\u2019s journey is highly unique to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You may have heard other terms floating around like gender non-conforming, genderqueer, and gender fluid. All of these encompass the same idea of having a gender identity that is outside the normal structure of what it means to be male or female.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Genitals Do Not Equal Gender<\/b><\/p>\n

What someone has in between their legs or on their chest does not define their gender identity.\u00a0 Having said that, some non-binary people may have <\/span>gender-affirming surgery<\/span><\/a> (top or bottom), or go on <\/span>hormone replacement therapy<\/span><\/a> (HRT), as a means of feeling like what\u2019s on the outside reflects how they feel on the inside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A common societal belief is that when someone undergoes one or more of these treatments, they want to be validated through society as a gender opposite of the one they were assigned at birth. This is not always true, some non-binary people use these treatments as a way of breaking free of the gender binary.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s Nothing New<\/b><\/p>\n

Although we\u2019ve seen a rise of non-binary representation in social media in the last few years, this concept is far from new.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

People across the world, like the ancient Celts, and Indigenous people across the globe have not only accepted but revered non-binary people for generations. Native Americans have people who are \u201c<\/span>Two-Spirit<\/span><\/a>\u201d, that fill very specific roles in their communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Much of the time, non-binary people within these communities would serve as a bridge between the spirit and physical realm, between man and woman, and more. This is thanks to their ability to live in a liminal state of being in between and outside the norm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gender and Sexuality<\/b><\/p>\n

Gender and sexuality are not the same. While there is overlap, and the two topics go hand in hand, you cannot assume someone\u2019s sexuality based on their gender, and vice-versa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s common for non-binary people to identify as \u201cqueer\u201d, \u201cpansexual\u201d, or \u201cbisexual\u201d. Since they are not a cis-gendered person, they would not be considered heterosexual. Heterosexual means \u201cattracted to the opposite sex\u201d. Well guess what? There is no opposite of non-binary, which is where queer comes in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-binary people can also be a-sexual, demisexual, may identify as lesbian or gay, or any other verbage that resonates with them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pronoun Power<\/b><\/p>\n

Many non-binary people choose to use <\/span>pronouns<\/span><\/a> outside of she\/her and him\/his.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some common ones are\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n