Submitted by Jae Blakley (they/them), SEIU-West Gender & Sexual Diversity Committee Co-Chair
International Non-Binary People's Day takes place annually on 14 July each year and celebrates and raises awareness of non-binary people, who do not identify within the traditional gender binary.
The two “traditional” binary genders are man and woman, but many people experience a gender identity between or outside of the traditional gender binary. These people often, but don’t always identify as non-binary. Other words people who do not experience traditional gender identity may use to describe themselves include genderqueer, agender, bigender, genderfluid, neurogender, and many more.
The non-binary flag is a pride flag that represents the non-binary community. It was designed by Kye Rowan in 2014.
Non-Binary Questions & Answers
Question: Are there really genders beyond man and woman?
Answer: Yes. Just like there are more biological sexes than male and female (in both humans and thousands of other species), there are multiple possible gender identities. They generally exist on a spectrum and can be as vast and varied as the people who use them to self-identify.
Question: Aren’t sex and gender the same thing?
Answer: No. Sex, gender, gender identity, and gender expression all mean very different things. Sex is purely biological and is determined by sex chromosomes (X and Y). These sex chromosomes usually exist in pairs (XX for male, and XY for female), but can exist in other combinations. In humans there are 6 common sex karyotypes: XX, XY, XXY, XXXY, and XYYY. There are also 4 rare sex karyotypes: XO, XO/XX mosaicism, XY/XXY mosacism, and XXY/XXXY/XXXXY mosaicism. Gender is a psychosocial construct that often, but not always coincides with biological sex. The two most common genders are man and woman, which coincide with male and female biological sex. People whose sex and gender “match” are called cisgender. People whose sex and gender “don’t match” are often called transgender or non-binary. As was mentioned above, there are many other descriptive words used by these people. Gender expression is how a person publicly presents their gender. This can include behaviour and outward appearance such as dress, hair, make-up, body language, and voice.
Question: What about pronouns?
Answer: Subjective pronouns are a part of speech used to replace proper nouns in sentences for ease of use. Men often use the pronouns he/him, and women often use the pronouns she/her. Non-binary people often use a non-gendered pronoun like they/them. Contrary to the belief of some, they/them is not just used in situations where pluralization is necessary; it is entirely correct to use the singular they/them in English and has been commonly used for centuries. As an example, if a person is unaware of the gender of someone in conversation, it may sound something like:
Person A: “While you were out of the room, the doctor came in and explained the test results”
Person B: “Oh? What did they say?”
Question: Why are pronouns important?
Answer: The sentence: “Jae went to the store where Jae bought some apples, and then Jae went home.” Is rather awkward. Using pronouns instead of repeating a proper noun makes the sentence flow much more smoothly: “Jae went to the store where they bought some apples, and then they went home.” Respecting everyone’s pronouns regardless of gender is as important as calling people by their correct name. It’s rude and disrespectful to call Bob “Sally” if he doesn’t want to be called that, just as it’s rude and disrespectful to use she/her pronouns for someone who goes by he/him. It’s no different with they/them, or any other pronoun. If you’re unsure of what pronouns to use, it’s usually a safe bet to just ask.
Question: Isn’t being non-binary “unnatural”?
Answer: No. Gender diversity exists throughout the animal kingdom, not just in humans. Many species (including humans) also display diversity in their biological sex. Some species do not have a biological sex, and some species’ biological sex can change over time. As a human, feeling something other than cisgender is completely normal and natural, just like being something other than straight. There is nothing wrong with it, and it isn’t a psychiatric disorder, although gender dysphoria and body dysmorphia are medical conditions that can be experienced by non-binary people.
Question: I think I might be non-binary. What now?
Answer: Celebrate! You are a member of a large and growing community who love and accept you! Current estimates based on the 2021 Census and other sources suggest that between 0.33-1.0% of Canadians identify as something other than cisgender. This statistic includes non-binary and transgender people. That’s 180,000-400,000 of our neighbours across the country. You’re not alone! SEIU-West sees you, respects you, and supports you.
SEIU-West’s Gender & Sexual Diversity Committee (GSDC) has been supporting SEIU-West’s queer and questioning members since 2022. For more information on the committee and its work, click here.