These Non-Binary Celebs Are Breaking the Gender Mould
When it comes to gender and sexuality there is a lot more to the equation than male or female, heterosexual or homosexual.
Not everyone fits into one “box” either. Gender is a complex and personal thing for a lot of people, and despite how they might present themselves to the world, they may not feel comfortable being referred to as a male or a female. That’s were terms like “non-binary” come in.
What Does Non-Binary Mean?
Non-binary, or genderqueer, is an umbrella term to describe those whose identities fall outside the binary ideas of male and female. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex, though some non-binary individuals do not consider themselves transgender.
Non-binary people may identify as having two or more genders (being bigender or trigender); having no gender (agender, nongendered, genderless, genderfree); moving between genders or having a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid).
We perviously put together a full guide on the Gender Identity Terms you need to know to correctly describe gender and sexuality.
It’s also important to say that gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation, and non-binary people have a variety of sexual orientations, just as cisgender people do.
Celebrities Who Identify As Non-Binary
When it comes to race, gender and sexuality representation is so important. These celebrities are breaking down barriers with their powerful visibility and showing the world that they are able to be who they are and successful at whatever they wish to do.
Here are some of the biggest non-binary celebrities who are breaking the gender mold…
Demi Lovato
Recently Demi Lovato announced that they identify as non-binary and their preferred pronouns are they/their. As one of the most famous celebrities out there it was a pretty big moment for Demi to announce that they are non-binary.
"Over the past year and a half I've been doing some healing and self reflective work and through this work, I've had the revelation that I identify as non-binary," they said in a video on their feed. "With that said, I’ll officially be changing my pronouns to they/them. I feel that this best represents the fluidity I feel in my gender expression and allows me to feel most authentic and true to the person I both know I am and still am discovering."
Still, Demi said they're going to continue to dress the way they wants to. "There might be a time when I want to wear a full wig," they said on their podcast, 4D with Demi Lovato. "There might be a time when I want to dress completely femme-presenting and that doesn't mean that in that moment I'm identifying as a woman, it just means that's what I want to wear in that moment."
Sam Smith
Before the release of their second album, Sam Smith told The Sunday Times that they identified more in the middle on the gender spectrum. "I don’t know what the title would be, but I feel just as much a woman as I am man," they said. Sam officially came out as non-binary during an interview for "I Weigh" and uses they/them pronouns.
Jonathan Van Ness
Jonathan Van Ness has revealed that he is non-binary.
"The older I get, the more I think that I’m nonbinary — I’m gender nonconforming. Like, some days I feel like a man, but then other days I feel like a woman. I don’t really — I think my energies are really all over the place. Any opportunity I have to break down stereotypes of the binary, I am down for it, I’m here for it."
Jonathan also said that he prefers he/him pronouns and that he only recently found learned about being non-binary. "I just didn’t know what the name was. I’ve been wearing heels and wearing makeup and wearing skirts and stuff for a minute, honey. I just like didn’t know that that meant — that I had a title."
Lachlan Watson
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star is currently breaking down barriers as one of the youngest non-binary actors in the industry.
Lachlan's own experience was even written into CAOS which saw their character Theo go on their own journey of self-discovery throughout the series.
On Netflix's What I Wish You Knew: About Being Nonbinary, Watson said, "I identify as both non-binary and pansexual, which are two very fancy ways of saying I don’t care."
Amandla Stenberg
Amandla first came out as non-binary in a Tumblr post in 2016. Since then, they have been a been an open activist for more representation in the media and starred in a number of movies including The Hate U Give and The Darkest Minds.
One of the things that can be very difficult for people is the notion that they have to pick a pronoun, gender or sexuality and that's it, they are stuck with it. But life is complicated and people go on journeys of self-discovery all the time.
Amanda initially announced a preference for they/their pronouns but in 2018 said they "didn't need those pronouns to feel comfortable".
Later they said "I've said before that I'm comfortable with using the pronouns 'they' or 'them' alongside 'she' and 'her' just because that's a conversation that's important to me".
Brigette Lundy-Paine
Brigette, who stars on
Netflix's "Atypical" and previously appeared in the 2017 film "The Glass Castle," clarified their gender identity on Instagram.
"I'm non-binary, always felt a lil bit boy, lil bit girl, lil bit neither. using they/them as of late n it feels right," Brigette wrote. "scary af to come out n been rly putting this off. But I feel I owe it to myself and to all of us who struggle w gender. If you're NB comment and celebrate yourself! u r beautiful and u r whole."
Elliot Page
On December 1, 2020, Elliot Page, Oscar-nominated star of Umbrella Academy, spoke out about being transgender on Instagram.
"Hi friends, I want to share with you that I am trans, my pronouns are he/they and my name is Elliot,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
Elliot also uses the words non-binary and queer to describe his identity.
Elliot uses both he/him and they/them pronouns but he/him is his preferred pronoun.