As a non-binary person who grew up in the US, non-binary identity is one I claim as a rejection of a binary gender system. I don’t believe that there are only two genders and I also don’t view gender on a spectrum with a perfect example of a man on one end and a perfect example of a woman on the other as neither is possible. I believe as many genders can exist as there are people in this world and that they shouldn’t be defined by how closely one resembles a man or woman. Measuring a person’s womanhood or manhood is not only culturally biased, but it establishes a hierarchy of gender based on how closely one can emulate either. Based on cultural representations of womanhood and manhood in this country, not only does this system favor cis women and cis men, but cis White women and cis White men.
While I am cis-passing and my gender expression is in-line with how my culture expects me to present myself, I don’t feel comfortable participating in a system that decides my place in this society before I open my mouth to introduce myself. Until I’ve told you who I am, you can’t know. This also applies to being Latinx.
As a Latinx who grew up in the US, Latinx is an identity I claim in solidarity with other Latinxs from this and other countries. As opposed to Hispanic, for me, claiming this identity is a way of honoring not our roots of Spanish colonization but of indigenous and/or African resilience. I claim, “x,” in Latinx identity in solidarity with the gender queer members of our diaspora who do not claim Latina or Latino. The Latinx diaspora encompasses so many experiences that they vary across every subject including: race, class, nationality, documentation status, income, gender, sexuality and ability. Being Latinx can mean so many different things. Again, until I’ve told you who I am, you can’t know.
My pronouns are they/them. They are they/them because casual English has already adopted using they/them pronouns when speaking about a person whose gender isn’t specified in conversation. While institutional English does not acknowledge using they/them as grammatically correct (instead electing to use phrases like “him or her,” “his or hers,” etc. completely leaving out non-binary individuals) language is constantly changing to serve those who wish to better express themselves and they/them has served to help me better express myself comfortably without having to adopt and impose new words on myself or others. I in no way advocate discouragement for those who do.
Now, being non-binary in a Spanish-speaking culture presents its own challenges, but it’s something I’d rather talk about in another post. I’m incredibly grateful for the space to discuss this topic with my LDAP team and for the time to have shared it with you.
by Aliya Miranda