Non-Binary Awareness Week promotes acceptance, advocates push stronger support for youth

DELMARVA – This week marks Non-Binary Awareness Week. It’s a time to promote awareness, education, and shed light on issues those who identify as non-binary face.

Non-binary individuals identify as both male or female, neither, or vary between genders.

Salisbury P-FLAG says visibility continues to grow, which could be due to more people feeling free to be who they are and having a stronger support system.

Advocates also note that many younger adults are coming to terms with their identities sooner. “To have that freedom that I didn’t find until I was almost 30 years old. They’re able to figure that out while going through puberty and to have that be apart of the identity and not struggle like I did,” Salisbury P-FLAG’s Cass Dasher said.

“The sooner you can figure out who you are the sooner you can get to living your life and being happy about it.”

Advocates say the first way you can start supporting your loved one is by referring to them by their preferred pronouns.

Dasher says respecting a non-binary or trans youth’s pronouns can reduce their risk of suicide by more than 50%.