Karla's 2nd Critical Resource Response

“Living as a Non-Binary in a Binary World” Critical Review Post

Living in a world that isn’t made to consider you is difficult. Having to reassert yourself in every situation is exhausting and definitely enough to make you question your own validity. This is exactly what Graysen Hall argues in their TED talk, “Living as a Non-binary in a Binary World”. Hall not only describes some of the obstacles of being non-binary, but also lays the responsibility on even those who identify within the binary. While some people may not agree that it is also the responsibility of these people, I think that Hall does a very good job of explaining why we should all care enough to try.

Throughout their TED talk, Hall describes many of the obstacles that non-binary people face in our very binary gendered world. They assert that “before we’re even born…we are put into these boxes”. These boxes reduce everyone to their gender and make it harder to be seen as an individual. To be told that your identity is not valid can have devastating effects like depression and anxiety. Non-binary people often struggle to feel comfortable with themselves internally, but they also face external struggles.

Non-binary people struggle to be able to do things as simple as use public restrooms because they are scrutinized for not looking enough like the sign on the door. They struggle with being visible in the medical community, and even “legally, [they] don’t exist”. This is because legal documentation does not usually recognize non-binary people. These obstacles and many others create a feeling of dysphoria, which is commonly known as having general dissatisfaction with life. So how is all of this proof that those who fall into the binary also need to be a part of the push for non-binary inclusion and visibility?

One of Hall’s biggest points is that non-binary people struggle because the binary world is so rigid. Hall says that non-binary people are not the only ones who stray from gender expectations. Even those in the binary feel controlled by the images of who they are “supposed to be”, so for non-binary people the struggle is often magnified. Hall says that non-binary people have to explain themselves all the time and “hope that you understand, or at least that you’re going to try”. If people want to stop having to explain themselves and their individuality, then they have to respect the identities of those who are non-binary, as well as take a closer look at the gender binary as a whole. Hall asks the audience to be more inclusive and to advocate more for non-binary people. After all, one of the reasons that non-binary people are so overlooked on a big scale is because individuals contribute by overlooking them on a smaller scale.

Despite it requiring effort, I agree with Hall’s point that more visibility for non-binary people is necessary and that we should all contribute. This TED talk also related to the class “Sex and Resistance” because non-binary inclusion would mean resisting the gender-binary world that we are all so familiar with. Like Hall suggests, being a good ally to non-binary people is in the best interest of everyone and we should definitely all make an effort.

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Hall, Greysen. “Living as Non-binary in a Binary World”. TED, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pvLDHFCEWk