Nonbinary people living in a binary world: Minority stress in public and gendered places

Nonbinary gender identities are widely erased and invalidated in Western societies, due to binary normativity. The segregation by binary gender of public spaces and sports categories may cause unique sources of stress for nonbinary people, manifesting at a structural and interpersonal level. Utilizing the nonbinary minority stress framework this study explores how the dichotomous gender division of public restrooms, store dressing rooms, locker rooms, and sports categories is associated with distal and proximal dimensions of minority stress.

The study was conducted in Italy and involved 40 nonbinary individuals aged 19 to 36 years in a semi-structured interview. The research team comprised a diverse range of positionalities, including trans, nonbinary, queer, bisexual, lesbian, and cisgender heterosexual-allied researchers.

Through reflexive thematic analysis combining deductive and inductive orientations, themes were organized in two macro-areas representing distal and proximal stressors. Distal stressors encompassed experiences of bullying, harassment, discrimination, social intrusiveness and control, non-affirmation, invalidation, and the burden of powerlessness. Proximal stressors included internalized invalidation, avoidance coping, negative expectations, disclosure negotiation, and gender dysphoria.

Findings showed that intrusiveness, control, non-affirmation, and social invalidation represent pervasive elements in the daily experiences of nonbinary individuals, contributing to the internalization of negative emotions referred to the self, including discomfort, shame, and a sense of social inadequacy. Nonbinary individuals may prioritize the comfort of others in social interactions, negotiating the disclosure of their identity to prevent others from feeling uneasy in their presence. Implications for clinical interventions, policy, and future research are discussed.