"[15] It gained prominence in the 1990s through activists,[16] such as Riki Anne Wilchins,[17] who used it in a 1995 essay and a 1997 autobiography to describe individuals deviating from traditional gender norms.

[20] The rise of the internet and public identification by celebrities brought the term "genderqueer" into mainstream awareness during the 2010s.

[16] Genderqueer serves as both an umbrella term for non-binary identities and an adjective describing those who challenge or diverge from conventional gender distinctions, regardless of how they personally identify.

[26][27] The term "transgender" often includes those who are genderqueer or non-binary, reflecting a broad spectrum of gender diversity.

[13][28][29] This inclusive usage dates back to at least 1992, with significant contributions from figures such as Leslie Feinberg[16] and Kate Bornstein, who emphasized the shared experiences of "gender outlaws.

[37] Notably, "Agender" and "Neutrois" were among the custom gender options added to Facebook in February 2014 and to OkCupid since November 2014.

[42] Bigender individuals possess two distinct gender identities that can manifest simultaneously or fluctuate between masculine and feminine expressions.

[46][47] The American Psychological Association recognizes bigender identity as part of the broader transgender category.

[7][8] Transfeminine refers to individuals assigned male at birth who predominantly identify or express themselves as feminine.

[63] This includes identities such as maverique, aporagender, ambigender, intergender, and genderflux, each presenting unique perspectives and experiences outside conventional gender norms.

[68][69][70] In 1781, Jens Andersson from Norway, assigned female at birth but identifying as male, faced imprisonment and a trial after marrying a woman.

When questioned, Andersson stated, "Hand troer at kunde henhøre til begge Deele" ('He believes he belongs to both parts'), indicating a recognition of his dual gender identity.

[72][73][66][74] The term "genderqueer" surfaced in the mid-1990s, notably used by activist Riki Wilchins in the newsletter In Your Face in 1995, and later in their 1997 autobiography.

[75][76][77][78] Jim Sinclair, an autism-rights activist and a founder of Autism Network International, publicly embraced a gender-neutral identity in 1997, declaring a physical and social neuter status in an introduction to the Intersex Society of North America.

[79] In Japan, the expression "X-gender" (x-jendā) has been recognized since the late 1990s, describing a non-binary identity, with notable individuals such as manga artists Yūki Kamatani and Yuu Watase identifying as such.

[80][81] In 2012, the Intersex & Genderqueer Recognition Project began advocating for more inclusive gender options on official documents, a milestone realized when Elisa Rae Shupe became the first person in the U.S. to obtain official documents with a non-binary gender marker.

This data offers a comprehensive view of the diverse and evolving ways individuals within the non-binary community identify and prefer to be referred to.

Some non-Western societies have long recognized transgender people as a third gender, although this may not (or may only recently)[95] include formal legal recognition.

[100] In the U.S. there are no explicit laws to protect non-binary people from discrimination, but under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is illegal for an employer to require employees to conform to gender stereotypes,[101] or to fire them merely for being transgender.

[c] The "not listed here" respondents were 9 percentage points more probably to report forgoing healthcare due to fear of discrimination than the general sample (36% compared to 27%).

[105] The reported discrimination non-binary people face includes disregard, disbelief, condescending interactions, and disrespect.

Additionally, the use of they/them pronouns is lumped into[clarification needed] the larger, controversial, subject of safe spaces and political correctness,[106] causing pushback and intentional misgendering by some people.

Non-binary identifying athletes have an immediate barrier as most sports competitions are divided into men's and women's categories.

[114] Nonbinary patients report lower rates of respect from healthcare providers than binary transgender people.

[115] Some nonbinary people desire gender-affirming health care, including hormone replacement therapy or surgery.

According to the Trevor Project, 54% of non-binary and transgender youth have considered suicide and 58% have been discouraged from using the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity.

[140] The 2022 national census, carried out less than a year after the resolution was implemented, counted 8,293 (roughly 0.12%) of the country's population identifying with the "X / other" gender marker.