Beyond the Binary

We're proud to share a message written by Abbie, a member of our very own LGBTQ+ Supporters Network. At EDF, our employee networks are integral to our inclusive culture, they are open to all and support our people whilst advocating for positive change.

As a non-binary person I think it’s important to remind others that we do not owe anyone to look or act a certain way. We do not need to present a certain way or dress a certain way for anyone. We do not all have to be androgynous or feminine or masculine. We don’t all have to use they/them pronouns, some of us may use she/her, he/him, xe/xer etc. or a possible combination of pronouns. But we deserve to feel and be ourselves as much as any other person does. We are just as valid as cis-gendered people (those who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth) and our existence should not be a debate.

Being non-binary

To me, being non-binary is the peak of queer liberation. Breaking out of the way society expects certain people to look or show themselves. When I realised I was non-binary I feared how people may look at me or react to me saying I was non-binary. Very quickly though I realised how proud I should be of being non-binary and how I was able to be my true and authentic self with no one being able to tell me how I should do anything, just listening to what I want for myself. I have found love and support from everyone around me in my life and at work, encouraging me to be myself and re-educating themselves on the use of pronouns etc.

Gender explained through colour theory

A good way to describe what it’s like is by using colour theory. Take the idea that Male and Female are red and blue, some of us may be a different colour for example; orange, yellow, green or purple. So the binary is red and blue, everything that isn’t those two colours would be outside the binary (non-binary is an umbrella term for many different gender identities).

But as we know with colour, it’s never-ending there are lots of colours and those colours have so many different shades so there is no one way to be outside the binary. An example of this is someone who may be genderfluid, standardly they might feel purple, some days they might be a bit more red or some days they might be more blue. This can change and alter and some days they may not even feel any of those colours.

Why International Non-Binary Peoples Day matters

It is super important we recognise days like International Non-Binary Peoples Day as we need to celebrate Trans joy and life, especially during this time where there is so much hate being thrown at us simply for existing. Reading on the news or on social media that another trans brother or sister has been lost to transphobic violence or suicide just shows us all how much more important it is that we celebrate the life we have and to show up and fight for our rights. There is a lot of fear on whether we will even have rights as the world keeps progressively going backwards.

Events like Trans+ Pride in London show us how much support we have and reminds those in places of power how we have always fought for our rights and protested and we will continue to do so. It is a strong reminder that pride was originally and will always be a protest, from the first brick thrown at Stonewall to one day having full Trans liberation for all.