If there’s something certain today is that when it comes to gender there aren’t only two ways to identify ourselves. Actually, there are dozens and dozens of ways to identify oneself and every day the conversation about gender has become more and more open and constant.
With that in mind, if there’s something we’ve learned is that representation does matter and having people in positions of power opening up more about their own experiences only helps keeping the conversation open for others.
Here are some artists that have come out as non-binary and are changing the rules of the industry:
1 · Ezra Miller
Ezra Miller has been quite vocal about diversity for the past years. The actor came out as non-binary in 2018 after a while of identifying simply as queer. However, in an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Miller claimed he doesn’t really believe in setting labels on gender : “I don’t identify as a man, I don’t identify as a woman. I barely identify as human.”
2 · Sam Smith
Academy-award-winner Sam Smith had came out as gay many years ago. However, recently they’ve claimed they actually identify as genderfluid. They’ve spoken out about their gender identity on many occasions even stating they might identify on the trans spectrum. For them, the term non-binary best explains how they feel since it means they don’t identify in a particular gender: “I think I float somewhere in between -somewhat on the spectrum.”
3 · Amandla Stenberg
You might remember her as little Rue in the first Hunger Games movie. The young actress has been vocal about her identity for many years now. On 2016, she decided to come out as non-binary on her Tumbrl profile and since then she’s kept the conversation open for younger generations. Recently, she’s also identified as gay and has claim that although she doesn’t really feel like a woman at all times, she doesn’t really “need those pronouns to feel comfortable.”
4 · Grimes
The Canadian musician has identified as gender neutral without an established set of pronouns. However, she leads a gender-neutral life in all areas and does feel uncomfortable when she’s labeled as a female especially by the media: “I vibe in a gender-neutral space so I’m kinda impartial to pronouns for myself.”
5 · Elliot Page
The great Elliot Page broke the internet recently after his interview with Oprah was released. Here the artist presented himself as Elliot Page, a trans non-binary person whose pronouns are he/they. He also stated he also identifies as non-binary and that he’s given that step to his true self. After the interview was released, his wife, Emma Portner, showed her support for his “trans, queer and non-binary” husband claiming they’re “a gift to this world.”
6 · Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato has been one of the latest to come out as non-binary after the launch of their new podcast 4D with Demi Lovato. The singer and actress has been quite vocal about LGBT+ rights for the past years and even earlier this year they came out as pansexual. On their podcast they also explained that being categorical on their identity and their pronouns preference doesn’t really mean they can explore feminine aspects of life: “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.”
7 · Janelle Monáe
Actress and singer Janelle Monáe came out as non-binary last year on Twitter; however, she’s spoken about sexuality and gender identity in the past specially through her music. She’s known for having a music alter-ego and through it she’s spoken about diversity and acceptance. After years not wanting to label herself on a particular gender, last year she finally tweeted; “there’s nothing better than living outside the gender binary.” Regarding pronouns Monáe doesn’t really care: “People can call me whatever it is they want to call me. I know who I am. I know my journey. And I don’t have to declare anything.”
8 · Lachlan Watson
The young star from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina played the trans character Theo Putnam on the series. Recently, Watson opened up about their identity in an interview with MTV in which they talked about their long gender identity process. When they were 13 years old, they identified as cisgender lesbian; later on as trans, and now they finally came to peace identifying as non-binary: “that’s sort of why I call it ‘gender freedom’ as opposed to gender fluidity, because instead of fluctuating between two options or three options or four options, you’re just sort of free.”
9 · Jonathan Van Ness
Fabulous Queer Eye personality, Jonathan Van Ness, recently spoke about his gender identity in an interview with Out claiming he identifies as non-binary and that his preferred pronouns are he/him. Although he’s been part of the LGBTQ+ community for basically all his life, he explained that he didn’t really knew the term non-binary and what it represents being that the reason he hadn’t actually identified as such until recently: “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.”
10 · Tommy Dorfman
Last but not least, let’s talk about the Thirteen Reasons Why and Fluidity actor Tommy Dorfman. In 2017, Dorfman identified as non-binary which ended up being a problem in their carreer since agencies didn’t want an actor so vocal about their identity. Still, they were true to themselves and they’re now taking the industry by storm: “Physically, biologically I am male, and I’ve never wanted to change that. Yet inside, I am considerably more female.”
These artists have proven to be real banners of diversity and openness and thus, worthy of keeping them on our radars!
Read more:
Openly Gay Wrestler Jake Atlas Pushes LGBT+ Athletes Forward As He Joins WWE
Dame Helen Mirren Believes Gender And Sexuality Are Absolutely Non-Binary
