July 14th: International Non-Binary People's Day

International Non-Binary People's Day celebrates and raises awareness of non-binary people, who do not identify within the traditional gender binary.

Observed each year on July 14, this day is aimed at raising awareness, shine a light on those who identify as non-binary and celebrate the rich diversity and community that non-binary people bring to our society. The term “non-binary” describes someone who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman or as falling completely outside these categories. Many non-binary people also identify as transgender, though not all do.International Non-Binary People's Day falls during Non-Binary Awareness Week. The date was chosen for being precisely midway between International Men's Day (November 19) and International Women's Day (March 8).

According to National Today, “ The Intersex and Genderqueer Recognition Project was founded in 2012 to campaign for gender options on official documents to be expanded. James Shupe became the first individual in the U.S. to have a non-binary gender on official documents in 2016. Between 2010 and 2014, the wider legal recognition of non-binary people in Australian law followed the recognition of intersex people in 2003, with transgender activist Norrie May-Welby taking legal action against the New South Wales Government Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages to recognize Norrie’s legal gender identity as non-specific. Argentina became the first country in South America to legally accept non-binary gender on all official documents on July 21, 2021, when it included non-binary gender symbolized as “X” on its national ID card.”

While the U.S. does not recognize a non-binary gender identity on a federal level, Oregon was the first state to do so in 2016. Following Oregon’s lead, California approved legislation in 2017 that allows residents to declare themselves as non-binary on official documents.

To learn more about the history of the non-binary community, visit National Today 

Additional educational resources include: 
National Center for Transgender Equality. 
LGBT Foundation
Human Rights Campaign

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