Each year, July 14th marks International Non-binary Persons Day, a time to celebrate, recognise, and raise awareness of the Non-binary experience around the world. The day was first observed back in 2012, with July 14th falling right between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day.
The Pride in Tech team have put together some key info ahead of the day to help you learn more about non-binary gender identities, what the day means, why it’s observed, and how to show your support.
Non-Binary
Non-binary is an umbrella term given to those who don’t comfortably identify with being a man or a woman.
Non-binary people may feel as though their identities are somewhere between the two, fluid, both male and female at the same time, or another identity that’s completely outside the parameters of traditional genders. Some non-binary people choose to embrace aspects of male and female gender, whereas others reject every facet.
If your gender isn’t the same as the one you were assigned at birth, you might identify as Transgender, and if it doesn’t fit the gender binary, you may identify as non-binary, genderqueer, agender, or genderfluid.
Non-binary also falls under the transgender umbrella, although not all non-binary people identify this way.
Here are some helpful resources to help you learn more:
Why is it Important to Observe International Non-Binary Persons Day?
Observing International Non-Binary Persons Day helps raise awareness of the community’s challenges and achievements, cultivating a greater sense of public understanding in the process. The greater the understanding of the non-binary experience, the more empathy begins to grow.
Why is this important? Understanding leads to greater inclusion, and greater inclusion leads to better outcomes for everybody.
Non-binary people are commonly misunderstood in today’s world, often facing isolation, exclusion, and discrimination as a result. According to 2023 data from ILGA Europe, 31.79% of trans and non-binary people reported being discriminated against while searching for a job. This often extends into every aspect of life, from healthcare to education and everything in between.
As a community that champions a kinder and safer world for queer people, it’s vital we unite in solidarity against all forms of discrimination. Here are some pointers for those of you who want to be more active in supporting positive progress on International Non-Binary Persons Day.
Include Pronouns in Your Email Signature – Whether you’re a member of the community or an ally, adding your pronouns to your email signature is a tiny change, but a huge showing of support. Check out this Ted Talk from Magda Stęga on how the smallest gestures can make a world of difference to the community: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyUQfS-P24o
Launch a Lunch and Learn – if you’re able to suggest it, a lunch and learn at work is a great way of raising awareness among your colleagues. We recently held one in our London office, where we were delighted to host the incredible Global Butterflies team.
Learn how to be an active bystander – Active bystanders make themselves aware of threatening and discriminatory behaviour, as opposed to the passive bystander, who chooses to ignore it. There’s a great supporting document from York University on this. Read it here.
Join a community – There are many great inclusive, supportive, and welcoming LGBTQIA+ and ally communities out there worth exploring. If you wanted to help build safe spaces for non-binary folk. You’re always welcome to get involved with us here at Pride in Tech too.
Create Content – podcasts, articles, blogs, social media posts; raising awareness often starts with putting your name to something. Get the ball rolling with a post celebrating International Non-Binary Persons Day, but remember, genuine allyship lasts the whole year round.
