Nemo, the Swiss Eurovision winner, and a non-binary individual, started a campaign after their victory aiming to legalize a third gender marker on official documents. Barbara Steinemann, a Swiss politician, stated in an article that this is completely unnecessary. She believes that "after the third gender, there would likely be demands for a fourth and fifth gender, as these people would also feel discriminated against," reported the Swissinfo.ch news blog. This article prompted me to consider the issue in writing and share my ideas and concerns about how society views the third gender or non-binary individuals.

What does it mean to be a non-binary person?

I understand that not everyone reading this knows what a non-binary person is. Allow me to explain. First of all, there are cisgender and transgender people. At birth, each of us is assigned a sex. Traditionally, sex is assigned based on the genitalia of the newborn. If the assigned sex matches how they feel later on, aligning with their gender identity, they are called cisgender. The prefix "cis-" is Latin and means "on this side," indicating that both biological sex and gender are on the same side. On the other hand, if the assigned sex does not match their gender identity, they are transgender. Many transgender people are binary, i.e., men or women. However, statistically, about 1-2% of the world's population is non-binary (5% among Generation Z). This is as many people as there are natural redheads. So, what does it mean? Non-binary individuals do not feel entirely like a woman or a man. It is not quite a third gender but more the absence or incomplete presence of the first two. For others, it feels more like being somewhere in between. For example, I, as a non-binary person, feel about 65% male and 20% female, with the remaining 15% being a space where everything is fluid and constantly changing. Writing this, I fully understand that to someone unfamiliar with these terms, it might sound, to put it mildly, absurd. However I believe that each of us is different and unique, and I believe that empathy for accepting people different from ourselves can be cultivated if there is a willingness. As is popularly written in LGBT forums: "Understanding is not necessary to accept."

How does society view non-binary people?

To answer this question briefly and continue from the previous paragraph - many do not accept because they do not understand... They do not understand how someone can feel differently from them. Or perhaps they do not understand how they feel themselves, as they have never sat down to ponder. Or maybe they simply do not have the words to consider it.

In my opinion, one of the most important steps in fostering a positive attitude towards non-binary people in society is language. There are 7139 languages in the world. Of these, only eight have a gender-neutral form. For example, in English, one can refer to a person as "he," "she," or "they." The latter is gender-neutral. I am also pleased to note that there are three languages - Spanish, French, and German - that have created gender-neutral forms in this century. So, when you literally do not have the words to talk about people, I think it is much harder to accept them.

Is a third gender marker on documents necessary?

As Swissinfo.ch writes, after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, Nemo urged Swiss authorities to provide more recognition and rights to non-binary people, including the option to choose a third gender marker in their documents. Currently, twenty countries recognize a third option. In some, one can choose a non-binary option, while others have genderqueer or simply a third gender. "Among Western countries, Australia was the first to recognize the third classification. In 2003, Alex MacFarlane, who is intersex, received a passport with the gender marked as indeterminate," writes Wikipedia.

In my and my community's opinion, it is extremely important to create an environment where our gender identities and expressions are respected and recognized. Creating an inclusive culture leads to less stress, discrimination, and bullying, and ultimately fewer negative health outcomes for children and youth. When I talk about negative health outcomes, I would like to quote The Trevor Project's 2023 statistics, which show that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide, mostly due to anxiety and depression arising from non-acceptance at home, school, and in society. The numbers are especially horrifying for transgender youth, who are not allowed to be themselves by their families and the state. As a result, young and emotionally vulnerable people become disillusioned with the world, lose their sense of purpose, and do unimaginable things to themselves. So, I firmly believe that yes, at least an "indeterminate" gender marker on documents is necessary. This does not mean that public attitudes would change immediately upon its implementation. But if the world does not allow it, it would be nice if at least the state allowed us to be ourselves. #savetranskids

What if people start demanding a fourth and fifth gender marker?

Finally, I would like to return to the words of the Swiss politician Barbara Steinemann: what if people start demanding recognition of even more genders? I will answer this question with questions: what if we show flexibility and acceptance towards everyone, not just men and women? What if we allow people to live without fear? What if the rates of anxiety and depression among youth decrease and the risk of suicide reduces? What if the stigma against sexual minorities diminishes? What if we recognize each person's rights and dignity? Wouldn't that be wonderful?