International Women’s Day as a Non-Binary Person
Every year on March 8th, the world celebrates International Women’s Day – a day dedicated to honouring the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women across history and society. It’s a day of empowerment, recognition, and solidarity. But for me, as a non-binary person, this day has always come with a mix of emotions – pride, appreciation, discomfort, and a lingering question:
Where do I now fit into this conversation?
Growing up, I was surrounded by messages that International Women’s Day was about strength, progress, and breaking barriers – a reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. And for a long time, I embraced that. I celebrated alongside the women in my life, acknowledged the struggles and victories of those before me, and felt inspired by the collective fight for gender equality.
But as I grew into my own identity, as I began understanding myself outside of the binary framework, I started feeling more disconnected from this day.
There’s no denying that women’s rights movements have paved the way for so many of us, including non-binary and gender-diverse individuals. The fight for gender equality, reproductive rights, workplace opportunities, and safety from gender-based violence has had ripple effects that extend far beyond just women.
For that, I feel deep gratitude.
At the same time, International Women’s Day often carries language that assumes everyone assigned female at birth must inherently identify with womanhood. Many of the spaces created for this celebration can feel exclusive rather than inclusive, unintentionally leaving out non-binary, genderfluid, and genderqueer individuals who don’t fully align with traditional labels.
It’s a complicated feeling – wanting to celebrate but not feeling entirely seen.
As conversations around gender continue to evolve, I’ve seen a shift in how International Women’s Day is recognised. Some organisations have begun using more inclusive language, acknowledging the contributions of all women and gender-diverse people. Some feminist movements actively include non-binary voices in their advocacy. And that, to me, is progress.
But there’s still work to be done.
Many mainstream celebrations still focus strictly on cisgender women, leaving non-binary and trans experiences on the margins. While I don’t expect International Women’s Day to suddenly change overnight, I do hope for a future where gender inclusivity becomes the norm—where empowerment isn’t tied to a binary but to the collective fight for equality and respect for all identities.
I’ve learned that I don’t have to force myself into a box to participate in this day. I don’t have to celebrate in the same way others do. Instead, I can shape my own way of recognising it:
Honouring the women in my life who have inspired, supported, and empowered me.
Acknowledging the ways feminist movements have helped push forward rights for gender-diverse people.
Holding space for non-binary and trans individuals who don’t see themselves fully represented in mainstream conversations.
International Women’s Day doesn’t have to be all or nothing for me. It can be a moment of both appreciation and critique, of celebration and reflection, of recognising progress while pushing for something even better.
As society continues to expand its understanding of gender, I hope International Women’s Day evolves too. I hope it becomes a day that embraces the full spectrum of gender identities – where all people who have been marginalised because of gender can feel seen and included.
Until then, I’ll continue to celebrate in a way that aligns with my truth. I’ll continue to find space for myself, even when the world doesn’t always carve it out for me. And I’ll continue advocating for a world where gender equality means equality for all, not just those who fit into predefined categories.
So this March 8th, however you choose to celebrate (or not celebrate), I hope you feel seen, valid, and empowered in whatever way feels right to you. Because in the end, the fight for a better, more inclusive world belongs to all of us.