Member-only story
An Open Letter To My Non-Binary Friends
If I’m being honest, I’m really just confused about what is happening. I want to support the great mission of equality. But I’m not sure how.
Recently I heard through my grapevine that a family friend of ours came out as non-binary. They un-gendered their female name by using initials to make it feel more neutral.
It seemed absolutely logical from afar. This person has always had a complex relationship with themself. And conceptually, I feel like I have some understanding of the questioning of gender. But not as much of an understanding as I would like.
This is how I know.
I happened to catch a glimpse of this person at the grocery store.
I’m kind of ashamed to say that I literally turned the other way so they wouldn’t see me. I found myself completely unprepared to talk to them. I didn’t even know how to do the whole, “so what are your pronouns?” thing now.
Let me be clear. I have ZERO issues with this exploration/transition on their part. It’s their body, their life, and their pronouns. Whatever. I don’t view them as less than because they’re now non-binary.
