How Do I Know if I'm Non-Binary? Questions to Ask Yourself!
Of all the gender identities present today, nonbinary identity is often the most confusing and for many, overlaps with genderfluid identity, which is a stand-alone identity I wrote about in Non-Binary vs. Gender Fluid: What’s the Difference?
The confusion is partly because nonbinary identity is an umbrella term with various gender identities such as androgynous, agender, genderfluid, genderqueer, and others underneath it.
This causes uncertainty among the people who experience nonbinary identity as a stand-alone gender identity and it’s important to note that two identities can coexist.
For example, a person can identify as agender and under the nonbinary umbrella and nonbinary.
The difference is which identity you prefer to lead within social situations: nonbinary, agender, or nonbinary agender? All are valid and come down to a personal way of being. If you want to learn more about various nonbinary identities, a great article to read is Do You Know These 5 Common Non Binary Identities?
People who identify as nonbinary describe themselves as:
“I identify with both male and female binary of genders. Sometimes I feel more masculine and other times more feminine.”
“I don’t feel connected to either of the binaries. I see myself more as a combo of the two but not one or the other.”
“I don’t resonate nor identify with either male or female.”
One of the ways to distinguish nonbinary identity from other gender identities is its emphasis on none exclusivity. Meaning, a person neither feels exclusively female nor male gender identity.
The nonexclusive way of relating to your gender identity is a cornerstone of the nonbinary identity.
Gender identity is a subjective, inner sense of how you feel about yourself in relation to your gender.
And because it is a subjective personal sense of who you are, paying attention to how you feel and the ways you experience yourself in regard to your gender helps you affirm your gender identity.
To help you with your personal self-exploration here are key questions to ask yourself:
How do I feel about my gender assigned at birth?
How do I feel when people gender me based on my gender assigned at birth?
What are my personal thoughts on what is gender identity?
What are my thoughts about male and female gender identities?
Do I experience my gender identity as exclusively male or female?
How do I like to express myself in regard to gender? What is my gender expression?
How do I feel about various gender roles? Is there a gender role I feel more resonant to?
Do I notice my gender fluctuating between masculine and feminine from day to day?
What are my thoughts on pronouns?
How do I want to feel about myself in regard to gender?
These questions can yield a depth of information and I encourage anyone questioning their gender identity to journal while pondering these questions.
And if you identify as nonbinary and would like a comprehensive information on various transition related options, I highly recommend reading Am I Non-Binary? Ultimate Guide to Help with Gender Identity!