PHOTOS: For #TransWeek, These Influencers Show Their Lives #BeyondTheBinary

By Claire Holmes, Campaigns Intern

In honor of Trans Awareness Week (#TransWeek), GLAAD teamed up with notable non-binary advocates influencers and influencers to unpack what it means to be non-binary with the #BeyondTheBinary photo series that premiered in them., Conde Nast’s new platform, this morning. Jeffrey Marsh, Ian Fields Stewart, Winter Mendelson, Devin-Norelle, Meredith Talusan, Jacob Tobia,Rowan Hepps Keeney, and ALOK Vaid-Menon all participated in GLAAD’s original photo shoot bringing to light the importance of being inclusive of all members of the trans community, including people whose identity falls in-between, or outside of, the man/woman gender binary.

Take a look at the photo series and interviews below, and be sure to take GLAAD’s #BeyondTheBinary pledge to use language that includes all people, regardless of gender identity.

Jeffrey Marsh, they/them: Activist and author

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“It means freedom. The language we use around non-binary identity is so important. I never want to find myself describing “I choose to be non-binary because…” the reason for this is because being non-binary is not a choice, it is a deeply ingrained personal identity. I enjoy being open about who I am because it means I have no lies to manage and I have no fears to feed when talking about what I wear or how I relate to the world.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“I want everyone to know that we are, indeed, folks. We are humans and although it may seem uncommon to be non-binary, the experience of feeling boxed in by gender is very common. You can relate to your non-binary friend or coworker because you were told the same lies about gender. Do men always take out the trash? Are women really bad at math? Of course not. And non-binary folks feel the same way you do. We feel the same sting of being misunderstood and shamed for not exhibiting the ‘correct’ behavior for our perceived gender.”

Ian Fields Stewart, they/them: Storyteller

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“Many people might say that non binary is like the grey area of gender — undefined space between more defined areas. However, because grey is a mixture of black and white it is inherently defined by the constructs of the colors it is comprised of. I think non binary is the whole crayon box. It is every paint on the easel. It is everything and nothing and a couple things. Nonbinary is limitless. My expression and my socialization falls on the femme side, but being nonbinary is not about what is perceived of me. Nonbinary is the liberation from the need to make myself smaller to fit into preconceived ideas of who and what I am. Nonbinary is the experience of myself without definition.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“Nonbinary folks are not a deterrent from the “trans conversation”. We are an expansion of it. We do not need to play the oppression olympics in order to figure out which trans people are worthy. Instead, we should listen and develop safety nets for people of all trans experiences. Girls, Boys, and Folks like us matter. We are worthy. We are beautiful. We are desirable. We are here. We have always been here. And we’re not going anywhere.”

Winter Mendelson, they/them: Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Posture Magazine

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“It means that I do not identify with the traditionally understood gender binary, and reject such systems that lead to harmful stereotypes and oppression.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“That it’s not something to be afraid of, that stepping outside of what you have been taught and opening your mind to other possibilities and ways of being is liberating. There is no one way to be non-binary, and I get to decide what that means for myself. It’s a never ending, complicated, hard, frustrating, and personal journey.”

Devin-Norelle, ze/zim/zis: Advocate, writer, and model

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“Non-binary is a realm in which countless gender alternatives transcending the gender binary live. It’s about exploring how the genders man and woman can co-exist as one; it is also about exploring your genders (or non-genders) beyond those two options. Overall, it’s a journey of feeling yourself out and self determination.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“Many people believe that non-binary is a new idea and that non-binary folks are a fad. Non-binary people are not a fad, a gimmick or a new concept. We have existed across various cultures for several centuries. Our identities were suppressed by imperialism and as a result, non-binary people seem to be a recent phenomena to mainstream society, but we’ve existed almost as long as civilization. Furthermore, it is commonly assumed that non-binary people don’t desire to medically transition. While this is true for many people, many of us do take steps to medically transition, including myself. My transition does not make me feel any more of a man, or any less of a woman. I continue to feel strongly as both some days, and as neither on other days.”

Meredith Talusan, she/her, they/them: Writer and editor

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“Being non-binary means believing that gender is infinitely possible.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“We don’t need to look or act or be a certain way to be non-binary. For me, being non-binary means breaking down what it means to be a gendered person in the world.”

Jacob Tobia, they/them: Author and producer

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“It means letting myself explore the fullness of my creativity. It means transcending the boundaries that have been placed around my body. It means living my life with integrity, courage, and clarity.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“I’d like people to know that, while the term “nonbinary” sounds very technical, it’s not actually all that complicated. I’d like people to know that they don’t have to tiptoe around someone who is nonbinary. Just because someone is nonbinary doesn’t mean that you have to worry about saying the wrong thing or insulting them — just treat non-binary people as you’d like to be treated. Treat us with respect, be kind, ask questions when you don’t understand, and be prepared to actually listen, to hear us, when we respond. That’s it :)”

Rowan Hepps Keeney, they/them: Performer, educator, and student activist

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“Being non-binary means embracing liminality. Unapologetically existing in the in-between. Being comfortable with discomfort and seeing the incompleteness as whole.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“Never try to categorize or define what being non-binary means or looks like for an individual — especially if those concepts are clouded by racism, fatphobia, abilism, classism, misogyny, or any other form of oppression. A person’s name, pronouns, and presentation does not define their gender. Rather, these are tools that some of us may or may not use to help communicate or validate our identities externally, but they can never fully encapsulate the matrices of colors and light that are refracted within us. Always ask rather than assume; never label when you can dismantle.”

ALOK Vaid-Menon, they/them: Artist

What does being non-binary mean to you?

“I contain multitudes.”

What is something you would like people to know about non-binary folks?

“While the words we use to describe ourselves have changed over time, we have always been here.”

Take the pledge!

Learning to be inclusive with language (and unlearning the deeply-ingrained gender binary) can take time. But including everyone around us, and being sure to be intentional and respectful moving forward, is important. Take the pledge today to use gender-inclusive language and share GLAAD’s infographic guide on how to do it!