In light of the recent news, after 16 years of attempts to pass a bill that protects transgender people from discrimination, New York State Legislature has finally passed! And about time too! This is a controversial topic that surrounds us that we can openly discuss on social platforms but sometimes not in the flesh (as most things things these days). All you have to do is google Victoria Secret and Non-binary to read about all the backlash the brand received for sending a disillusioned message to women about women.

My name is Arian, I’m a 30 year old man, from the Philippines living in London and here to tell you about my experience with my gender as a Non-binary person*.

My gender is always a topic of curiosity with the majority of the people around me. Some have a more forward approach in asking, whilst others simply do not have any fear or filter. As a Generation Z LGBTQ, growing up gay in The Philippines in the 90’s, life was not easy. Up until a few years ago my gender identity has been challenged. I didn’t fit into the camp community of “glitter, unicorn fairies and rainbows” but, instead of worrying about labels and appeasing people’s curiosities – I am human being first and foremost.

I am a man, I dress femininely and act feminine, but I am still a man but that is not something that defines me. I am not an “it”, I am a person and after growing up Filipino in the LGBTQ community, bullying is something I have grown up with and haven’t questioned…until now. I am different, from the inside out and I’m proud of it and some might say I bend the “gender norms” with the clothes I wear, makeup I use and how I style my hair but ultimately, all I want is to be treated with respect, without prejudice or judgment and more importantly be loved for me and its entirety.

*A Non-binary person can be defined as Identifying as either having a gender which is in-between or beyond the two categories ‘man’ and ‘woman, as fluctuating between ‘man’ and woman’, or as having no gender, either permanently or some of the time.