Kathiria "Ezra" Zorrilla poses holding a non-binary flag for a photo in front of their home on August 15, 2019. Zorrilla identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns "they" and "them". Photo By Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Pop singers Demi Lovato and Sam Smith, WNBA star Layshia Clarendon, “Queer Eye” reality TV star Jonathan Van Ness and actors Indya Moore and Elliot Page are just some of the famous names who’ve come out as nonbinary. That’s something they have in common with more than a quarter of queer American young people, according to the latest research by The Trevor Project.

One in four LGBTQ youth surveyed identify as nonbinary, say researchers at the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning young people.

That result—26%—is from a sample of nearly 35,000 young people between the ages of 13 and 24 from all across the United States. Another 20% reported that they are not sure or are questioning if they, too, may be nonbinary. Like their pioneering elders before them, today’s LGBTQ youth are trying to find their own way in the world, according to the research unveiled on Tuesday in advance of International Nonbinary People's Day on Wednesday, June 14.

“Young people are using a variety of language to describe the nuances of their gender identity outside of the binary construction of gender,” said Jonah DeChants, research scientist for The Trevor Project. “These data emphasize that, while there is certainly an overlap, youth understand ‘transgender’ and ‘nonbinary’ as distinct identity terms—and you cannot assume one’s identity simply based on the pronouns they use.”

The research is drawn from The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, released in May.

Another important finding, according to The Trevor Project, is that while those youth identifying as nonbinary are very diverse, they did not vary widely across races, ethnicities and age groups. The group’s experts say this highlights the fact that nonbinary identities emerge regardless of someone’s background, and need to be respected regardless of their origin.

“These findings emphasize the need for policies that affirm nonbinary youth in their identities, such as respecting their pronouns and allowing them to change their name and gender marker on legal documents like driver’s licenses and birth certificates,” said DeChants. “Being that something as simple as respecting pronouns can be life-saving, we must work to expand training and improve understanding of transgender and nonbinary identities among schools, medical facilities, and youth-serving organizations and adults.”

Already, 20 states and the District of Columbia allow U.S. citizens to choose a nonbinary identity marker on their driver’s license, and 14 states allow citizens to indicate a nonbinary identity on their birth certificate, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

As Forbes.com reported last month, the U.S. State Department announced it’s changed its policy to make it easier for transgender and nonbinary citizens to change the gender marker on their passports, a step toward offering a gender marker option beyond “male” and “female.”

There is admittedly some confusion and debate both inside and outside the LGBTQ community about nonbinary identities, which have existed throughout human history but are sometimes falsely portrayed as a “new” phenomenon. Also, despite being grouped under the umbrella term of “transgender,” the research shows that only half of youth who reported identifying as nonbinary also identified as trans; The other 50% said they did not see themselves that way.

In interviews for the current issue of Connecticut Voice Magazine, trans nonbinary journalist Britni de La Cretaz and nonbinary journalist Mary Emily O’Hara explained their individual perspectives on this issue:

“I think it’s up to each person to decide which words they use to describe themselves,” de la Cretaz said. “Personally, I define transness as inclusive of anyone who doesn’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, which includes nonbinary folks. But I can’t claim identity for anyone else; it’s up to each person to decide for themselves.”

“I identify as nonbinary, and as a lesbian or dyke since that is my primary community. I don’t identify as trans, because I am not trying to change my gender or body to something other than what it is,” said O’Hara of Portland, Ore., who is also GLAAD’s Rapid Response Manager and uses “they” and “themme” pronouns. “I am gender fluid and have expressed my gender differently throughout my life starting with childhood,” they sid. “I have enjoyed being seen as a boy and as a girl at different times in my life, and my expression of masculinity and femininity changes internally and externally by the day or even hour.”

“While I do sometimes experience gender dysphoria, I don’t feel that I carry the same burden as my trans friends who experience a lot of dysphoria, a strong identification with a gender, and who pursue medical treatment like blockers, hormones, or surgeries, and so it doesn’t feel appropriate to me to claim the trans label,” O’Hara continued. “I obviously share some experiences with my trans friends, like being misgendered every day, but there are others that I don’t share—and it’s important to me to respect those subtle differences.”

“This research serves as an invaluable tool for educating teachers, medical providers, and all youth-serving organizations and adults on the complexities of nonbinary identities, including the growing language around how young people express their gender and how we can make them feel affirmed,” explained Rob Todaro, communications manager for The Trevor Project, in an email.

The majority of nonbinary youth told The Trevor Project that they exclusively used pronouns outside of the “male” and “female” gender binary, but exactly which pronouns are a matter of debate: one in three, or 33%, choose “they/them.” Neopronouns, such as “xe/xem”—a topic that The New York Times dedicated an entire guide to explain this past April—were popular among only 5%, according to the report.

Nonbinary youth overwhelmingly agreed that having people in their life use their correct name and pronouns to refer to them was a source of happiness and affirmation, while those who reported that “no one” respected their pronouns reportedly attempted suicide at a rate two and a half times of those who said that “all or most of the people” they know respected their pronouns.

If you are a trans or gender-nonconforming person considering suicide, Trans Lifeline can be reached at 877-565-8860. LGBTQ youth (ages 24 and younger) can reach The Trevor Project Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. Anyone can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 24 hours a day, and it’s available to people of all ages and identities.

Read the full report from The Trevor Project by clicking here.