Busting The Gender Binary

One thing that is hard for people to get their head around is non-binary gender, we have always thought of gender in a male/female binary but as usual it is the kids that are leading the way.

7 Young People on Their Views of Gender
New York Times
By Annie Tritt

About two years ago, I began photographing transgender and “gender-expansive” children and young adults in the United States and Europe. I wanted to ask this question: “Who are we beyond ideas tied to our gender?” The answer is critical not only to the transgender community, I believe, but to everyone.
In the younger participants, I have found self-assuredness and confidence; they are clear about who they are. In the older youths — especially the nonbinary ones who identify as both genders, or neither — I see a willingness to break free from boxes society puts us into. In all of them, there is creativity and compassion for peers and strangers alike.
[…]
Max, 13
Bay Area, California. Nonbinary.
“I asked my mom if I could text her something. I texted her that I am attracted to boys and that I feel more girl than boy. Later that year, I found the term nonbinary. It just felt right. I still am often scared of the reactions of people when I tell them.

“As a trans person who has experienced hate, I want people to understand that nobody deserves to be hated. Everyone deserves love, regardless of race, gender, sexuality.”
[…]
Kyla and Mya (twins), 18
Los Angeles. Nonbinary.
“I feel most comfortable in the space between the gender binary, a space where I’m allowed to construct my own ideas of gender and gender expression. That means I feel more masculine than feminine. For many, this is a hard concept to understand.

The article also has the stories of five other non-binary young adults.

I have my own theory of non-binary individuals. As the research comes in about trans people showing that in a certain area of our brain develops more towards the gender that we identify with than with our external gender, I wonder what happens when that area of the brain just doesn’t develop any differential of gender? Would the person not have a binary view of their gender?

But whatever the reason it once again boils down to “asking the person their gender.”