Non-Binary: Meaning, Gender Identity, Pronouns, and Expression

Their gender may feel:

• between male and female;
• partly male or partly female;
• different at different times;
• connected to more than one gender;
• outside male and female categories;
• absent or difficult to describe.

Simple examples include:

• A non-binary person may use they/them pronouns.
• Another non-binary person may use she/her or he/him pronouns.
• A non-binary person may dress in a feminine, masculine, or androgynous way.
• Being non-binary does not reveal someone’s sexual orientation.
• A non-binary person does not need surgery or hormones to validate their identity.

Non-binary people are diverse. No single appearance, body, or life experience represents everyone.

• a non-binary person;
• a non-binary student;
• non-binary identities;
• the non-binary community.

Some people use non-binary as a noun, but person-first phrasing is generally clearer:

• Preferred: “They are a non-binary person.”
• Also common: “They are non-binary.”
• Less natural: “They are a non-binary.”

The informal noun enby comes from the initials NB. Some people enjoy this term, while others consider it too childish or simply do not use it.

Common Usage Patterns

The term commonly appears in expressions such as:

• identify as non-binary;
• come out as non-binary;
• non-binary person;
• non-binary identity;
• non-binary pronouns;
• non-binary student;
• non-binary representation;
• non-binary community.

When discussing a specific person, follow that person’s preferred spelling and identity language.

Non-binary identities exist outside or across this two-category model.

A non-binary person may:

• identify with aspects of both manhood and womanhood;
• identify more strongly with one gender without identifying with it completely;
• move between gender identities;
• experience a gender unrelated to male or female;
• identify as having no gender.

Non-binary does not necessarily mean exactly halfway between man and woman.

Many non-binary people consider themselves transgender because their gender differs from their assigned category. Others do not use the word transgender and identify only as non-binary or with a more specific term.

A transgender woman or transgender man usually identifies within a binary gender. Therefore, transgender and non-binary overlap, but neither term completely replaces the other.

People should be allowed to choose the labels that best fit them.

However, genderqueer may place greater emphasis on challenging gender rules, queer identity, or resistance to fixed categories.

Some people identify as:

• non-binary;
• genderqueer;
• both non-binary and genderqueer;
• neither.

Because queer was historically used as an insult, some people embrace genderqueer as a reclaimed term while others feel uncomfortable with it.

Genderfluid

A genderfluid person’s experience of gender may change over time.

Agender

An agender person may experience no gender, very little gender, or a gender identity outside ordinary categories.

Bigender

A bigender person identifies with two genders, either simultaneously or at different times.

Demigender

A demigender person feels a partial connection to a gender, such as demiboy or demigirl.

These labels describe personal experiences rather than strict medical categories.

• they/them;
• she/her;
• he/him;
• combinations such as she/they or he/they;
• neopronouns such as ze/hir;
• no pronouns, with the person’s name used instead.

Singular they is grammatically standard for one person when gender is unknown or when a person uses they/them pronouns.

A non-binary person may also choose a name that feels more appropriate to their gender. Using their correct name and pronouns is a basic form of respect.

Mistakes may happen. A brief correction and continued effort are usually more helpful than a long explanation that shifts attention away from the person affected.

Gender expression is how someone presents themselves through clothing, hairstyle, voice, movement, makeup, or behavior.

A non-binary person may appear:

• masculine;
• feminine;
• androgynous;
• neutral;
• different in different settings.

Appearance does not prove or disprove non-binary identity. A non-binary person does not need to look androgynous.

Some may pursue forms of gender-affirming care, such as:

• hormone therapy;
• chest surgery;
• breast augmentation;
• genital surgery;
• voice training;
• hair removal;
• fertility preservation.

Others do not want medical transition or cannot access it.

A person does not need dysphoria, hormones, surgery, or a particular body to be genuinely non-binary. Medical choices are private and should not be demanded as proof.

A non-binary person may identify as:

• heterosexual;
• gay;
• lesbian;
• bisexual;
• pansexual;
• asexual;
• queer;
• another orientation.

Orientation labels may be interpreted differently when someone is non-binary. For example, one person may use lesbian because of their connection to womanhood and attraction to women, while another may prefer queer or sapphic.

The individual should choose the words that best describe their attraction and relationships.

A person may be open in some settings but private in others because of:

• family expectations;
• discrimination;
• workplace concerns;
• school safety;
• religion or culture;
• housing or financial dependence;
• personal readiness.

No one should reveal another person’s non-binary identity without permission. Outing someone may expose them to rejection, harassment, or violence.

• using the person’s correct name and pronouns;
• not asking invasive questions about genitals or surgery;
• not demanding that the person explain or defend their identity;
• avoiding assumptions about sexual orientation;
• using gender-neutral language when appropriate;
• not treating non-binary identity as a trend or joke;
• correcting mistakes without creating unnecessary attention.

Useful gender-neutral terms may include:

• partner instead of boyfriend or girlfriend;
• sibling instead of brother or sister;
• parent instead of mother or father;
• person instead of man or woman.

Use the specific family or relationship words the individual prefers.

Every non-binary person uses they/them pronouns.
Pronoun preferences vary.

Non-binary people must look androgynous.
Gender expression does not determine identity.

Non-binary and intersex mean the same thing.
Non-binary concerns gender identity, while intersex concerns variations in physical sex characteristics.

Non-binary people are simply confused.
Questioning may occur, but non-binary is a valid and established identity.

A non-binary person must medically transition.
Medical transition is optional and personal.

1. A non-binary person does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman.
2. The non-binary student asked teachers to use they/them pronouns.
3. Can a non-binary person also identify as transgender?
4. A non-binary identity does not determine sexual orientation.
5. The non-binary employee updated their name in the company directory.
6. A non-binary person may dress in a masculine or feminine style.
7. The doctor respected the non-binary patient’s preferred body language.
8. No one should reveal that someone is non-binary without permission.
9. The non-binary character was portrayed without stereotypes.
10. Being non-binary does not require hormone therapy or surgery.

A non-binary identity does not reveal someone’s anatomy, sexual behavior, orientation, fertility, or preferred relationship role. Non-binary people may have any level of sexual desire and may be sexually active, celibate, partnered, single, monogamous, or non-monogamous.

Accurate sexuality education separates gender from anatomy and orientation, respects names and pronouns, avoids assumptions about bodies, and supports every person’s right to define their identity and sexual boundaries.