In my desire to learn how to better support my fabulous youngest child, Lindsey (Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs), I scoured the internet and came across articles about International Non-Binary Day, which is celebrated worldwide each year on July 14, starting in 2012. I plan to spend the day celebrating Lindsey’s unique self with them.
I also wanted to post here to raise awareness and help others better understand how to respect and honor these individuals. Here are a few things I’ve learned and am working at becoming better at:
- Use the correct pronouns when addressing or referring to them. It seems so easy, but if you’ve been accustomed to referring to someone one way and that has changed, please make every effort to switch. If you get it wrong, apologize.
- If you aren’t sure, ask how they’d like to be addressed. This can mean their name as well their pronouns.
- Educate yourself. If you aren’t sure what non-binary means, check out the internet. Don’t ask them to explain it to you.
- When you’re introducing yourself, use your name and pronouns. This will make others around you comfortable in doing the same.
- If you don’t know how someone identifies, it is usually safe to use “They/Their.”
I wish you a safe and happy day!
Dorene (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Thank you so much for such a informative piece Dorene. I have a dear friend whose daughter is non- binary, and she has been great at helping educate us on her Facebook page on appropriate and kind terminology and actions.
Thanks, Pam. Great to hear about your experience with your friend’s child. Good for them for sharing on their facebook page! Hope all is well with you!
Great to share, Dorene! The more people understand the better off we’ll all be. Take care, Sari
Thanks, Sari! So nice to hear from you and I agree 100%. Hope all is well with you.
Thank you for sharing! We have been trying to change yes ma’am and yes sir to yes thank you, yes please!- because we really do not know!
Happy Non-binary Day!!!
Joani (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Thanks, Joani. That’s great! I’m going to try to remember that and use it. We have so many references woven into our language, it’s sometimes hard to catch them on the fly. Yesterday, as we were leaving a coffee shop the employee said “Have a good day, ladies!” I turned back and said “People!”
Lovely blog, Dorene. One of my nieces is non-binary, too.
Thanks, Barbara. I say child, or adult child for Lindsey, instead of daughter and I thought that was tough, but since it’s their preference to use gender neutral terminology, I wonder what the substitute for niece is for their aunts and uncles to use? I guess they’d say “My sister’s child.”