It’s International Non-Binary People’s Day!

Virgin Radio

14 Jul 2021, 14:15

If you’re French, you’ll probably know today (14th July) as Bastille Day, but it's also an important day for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those who identify as non-binary – it’s International Non-Binary People’s Day!

The day, which was first celebrated in 2012 and comes right in-between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day, aims to raise awareness of the issues faced by non-binary people, as well as celebrate their diversity.

People who are non-binary don’t identify with the gender binary – often this means that they don’t consider their gender to be male or female. Sometimes, non-binary people will identify with a third gender, some don’t identify with any gender, and some have a gender which is in a constant state of fluctuation.

This year the day comes with a renewed sense of relevance - according to new research by LGBTQ+ charity The Trevor Project, over 1 in 4 of LGBTQ+ youth in the US identify as non-binary.

Whilst the research highlights the need for education and inclusion surrounding non-binary identities, it also raises questions about previous associations between non-binary and trans people.

The term non-binary has often been used to describe trans or transitioning people, but in fact only half of those who responded to say they identified as non-binary also identified as trans, with another 20% saying that they were currently in the process of questioning whether they were trans.

‘We need to re-evaluate and start to think about trans and nonbinary people as communities that overlap heavily, but are not synonymous with one another,’ Jonah DeChants, a scientist at The Trevor Project, told TIME Magazine.

Closer to home, Virgin Radio Pride’s very own Shivani Dave, who presents the drivetime slot on the station, was named as one of 28 non-binary activists, politicians and stars who are ‘proud, visible and making the world a better place’, according to LGBTQ+ website PinkNews.

‘It’s incredible to be recognised alongside these incredible people,’ Shivani told us.

‘Sometimes being non-binary it can be hard (in such a gendered world) but I often draw on the inspiration from these people before I walk into the studio to channel some of that non-binary finery on air from 4-7pm on Virgin Radio Pride! It’s actually amazing to see my name alongside theirs… also don’t forget to tune in!’

Alongside Shivani, the list also features non-binary icons such as Demi Lovato, Sam Smith, and of course Bimini Bon Boulash, who featured on an episode of Virgin Radio Pride’s .

Bimini also expressed their support for the day on Twitter, reminding their followers that ‘No matter where you fit outside or within the binary, you are valid, important and beautiful’:

For more information about non-binary identities, check out this article from Stonewall, which explores what it's like to be non-binary in the UK today.