To know and celebrate July 14 as the International Day of Non-Binary People we give you these facts about this sector of the population and what you have to take into account.
Also known as the International Non-Binary Visibility Daythe July 14 marks International Day of Non-Binary People since 2012, according to the Asociación Familias Diversas Argentina (AFDA). The selection of this date corresponds to the intermediate period between the International Women's Day (March 8) and the International Men's Day (November 19).
A non-binary person does not identify with his or her gender assigned at birth. In this sense, 'non-binary' is an umbrella term under which different gender identities exist..
What does it mean to be a non-binary person?
'Non-binary person', 'non-binary gendered' or 'non-binarie'. are umbrella terms used to describe identities that fall outside the gender binarism. In other words, they do not identify as either male or female. This The set of identities also falls under the spectrum of trans identities..
Being a non-binary person means questioning and breaking the binary gender system and biological determinism on a daily basis. For this reason, the importance of this date derives from the slogans from which non-binary people remember that the systems of identification and thought are insufficient to vindicate their existence.
As explained by Lou Himes -who specializes in psychology and identifies herself as a non-binary person, non-binary individuals do not operate in socially constructed systems that privilege the idea that there are only two categories of gender experience.
Being a non-binary person can be expressed in ways as diverse as there are humans in the world, for example, as fluid gender, genre o genderqueer. There are other people who always feel in the middle of the spectrum and others experience it more as a mix between masculine and feminine. In addition, some feel more comfortable at one end of the binarism than the other..
Language is an important element in the visibility of non-binary people.
The doctor César Torres Cruz (Center for Research and Gender Studies, UNAM) states that the position of non-binary people "goes beyond clothing".. Non-binary identities are claimed through the political use of language.
Specialists such as linguist Santiago Kalinowsky (Argentine Academy of Letters), Professor of Language and Literature, Professor of Language and Literature Romina Mc Cormack and the journalist Florencia Alcaraz point out that non-binary language is an "intervention of public discourse"..
In addition to "creating awareness of the persistence of a social injustice", it makes linguistic strategies visible to avoid falling into racist, misogynist, classist, xenophobic, and capacist expressions.
In this sense, one of the linguistic manifestations that show the importance of the claim for a non-binary language is the misgendering, understood as the violent and usually intentional action of denying a person's gender identity. This can be manifested through the incorrect use of pronouns or in the refusal to recognize the first name with which a person feels comfortable. This refusal is one of the most common forms of violence for those who do not identify, recognize or politically pronounce themselves with gender binarism..
Why is it important to make non-binary people visible?
The The importance of the International Day of Non-Binary People lies in the struggle that this sector of the population has led to demand their material recognition.for their right to have official documentation that validates them as part of a citizenship.
Mexico is one of the Latin American countries where the recognition of non-binary identity is a fact through documents. as the CURP, birth certificate, passport and voting credential. Although the way to manifest that it is a non-binary identity is still a subject of debate and susceptible to improvements that better represent the wishes of the population, it is a reality that a non-binary person can access the modification of their official documents.
One of the most important battles for non-binary people has to do with the Respect for their identity in the educational and work environment.. More and more people are demanding that their universities and workplaces display the non-binary person option in your documents interns.
Symbols to get to know the non-binary population
The non-binary flag was designed in 2014 by. Kye Rowan in order to have its own symbol to delimit the particularities among people who identify themselves as non-binary.. Their colors and meanings are:
- yellow (people who do not identify or assume within a binary system);
- white (to group people who assume themselves to be several or all genders);
- purple (alluding to those somewhere between masculine, feminine or a mixture of both);
- black (people who do not assume themselves under any gender).
Now you have the basic elements to measure the importance of the International Day of Non-Binary People.
Sources: UNAM Gazette, Homosensual (1 y 2) y Language guide for the inclusion of non-binary persons
