July 14: International Non-Binary People's Day
International Non-Binary People’s Day is recognized around the world as an opportunity to shine a light on those who identify as non-binary and to celebrate the rich diversity of each community.
The term non-binary describes a person who identifies with a gender that isn’t entirely female or entirely male.
This international day of recognition started in 2012 and most countries in the world still do not recognize non-binary as a legal gender. In Canada, we have non-binary gender options on passports and if you noticed on the recent census, there were new questions focusing on gender. Stats Canada added two new questions to the 2021 census: asking a person’s sex a birth and their gender now.
More and more youth in our community are looking to explore and understand their own gender diversity and sexuality. Our staff at Some Other Solutions are committed to holding a safe space in our community for LGBTQ2+ youth. We want to learn, educate, advocate for and be an ally for them and we hope you do too!
How to support LGBTQ2+ youth
We encourage you to learn more about the challenges faced by non-binary people in our community and how we can better support them. Here are some quick tips on how to support the LGBTQ2+ youth in our community and beyond!
Normalize asking about pronouns and introduce yourself with your name and pronouns when you meet someone new
Avoid making assumptions about gender or sexual orientation of any child or youth
Listen, acknowledge and be respectful. It’s okay if you don’t have a perfect understanding of an individual’s identity. Listen and don’t judge their experiences.
If a youth comes out to you, keep that information in confidence and respect their trust in you. You may be the first person they come out to and they feel safe with. Do not out individuals without their permission.
Be intentional and specific that you are a safe and supportive person for the LGBTQ2+ community
Use inclusive language and keep it neutral. “Good afternoon, everyone” or “Welcome folks!”
Address any homophobic or transphobic language, discrimination or stereotypes when you hear them. Use it as a teachable moment and stand up for the community as an ally.
If you make a mistake with someone’s name, pronouns or language, apologize, correct yourself and move on. You can improve next time!
Consider non-verbal ways to communicate that you’re a safe and supportive person for LGBTQ2+ people. Wear rainbow pins, flags and bracelets, use the pronoun options on your social feeds, etc.
Be a supportive bridge between youth and their schools, communities, families and anywhere else they may need an advocate
For more information on how to be a LGBTQ2+ youth advocate, please look at this piece on how to be an ally to transgender and non-binary youth and check out the SOS resource page for more information.
