July 14 was selected to be International Non-Binary People Day because it falls exactly halfway between International Women’s Day and International Men’s Day.
Non-binary is a broad term that describes gender identities that do not fit exclusively within the traditional categories of male or female. A non-binary person may identify somewhere between these genders, beyond them, or as moving between different gender experiences.
Examples of non-binary identities include gender fluid, transmasculine, transfeminine, agender, and bigender. The term is sometimes abbreviated as NB or “enby”, although preferences can vary between individuals.
International Non-Binary People Day was first celebrated in 2012. It was founded by Katje van Loon, who shared their experiences with the BBC in 2022.
Organisations such as Stonewall UK have published resources on how to be a supportive ally to non-binary people, offering guidance on inclusive language and respectful behaviour.
