Non-Binary People’s Day is on July 14th, to celebrate those who identify as non-binary. This date is chosen as it is halfway between International Women’s Day (March 8th) and International Men’s Day (November 19th). Non-binary people do not identify as a man or a woman, instead they might identify as both, somewhere in between, or neither. Some non-binary people identify as transgender, though not all do. Non-binary people can use any pronouns or multiple pronouns, including they/them, he/him, and she/her.
Gender diversity has existed as long as humanity. Around the globe, various cultures have their own language for people who identify beyond “man" or "woman.” This includes Polynesian cultures, such as the fakaleiti of Tonga, the māhū of Tahiti and Hawaii, and the fa’afafine of Samoa. The Bugis people of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, recognize five genders: makkunrai, oroané, calabai, calalai, and bissu. In parts of South Asia, hijra people are recognized as a third gender, many having formed their own communities.
In Canada or Turtle Island, two-spirit is an umbrella term for various gender identities across the First Nations, and is specifically used in reference to Indigenous peoples. This term often encompasses not only a gender identity, but a spiritual role within the community.
Non-binary public figures include The Crown actor Emma Corrin, Canadian comedian Mae Martin, and Canadian author Xiran Jay Zhao. Singer and actress Janelle Monáe is also non-binary, and uses both they/them and she/her pronouns. They explain, “I’m nonbinary, so I just don’t see myself as a woman ... solely. I feel like God is so much bigger than the he or the she. And if I am from God, I am everything.”
As explained in Celebrating Gender Diversity, a resource created by Affirm United, “Our ideas of what ‘normal’ is limits our ability to celebrate the fullness of God’s diversity. Learning new language and ways of building community can have an incredible impact on the safety and spiritual wellbeing of trans people.” By embracing the full range of gender identities that people experience, we are embracing God’s world.