i. e.: inquiry in education - Vol. 17 - Article 5 - A Collective Journey: Supporting Our Nonbinary Students

Oct 15, 2026

School often becomes a hostile environment for nonbinary young people, where stress, trauma, isolation, and invalidation emerge from cisnormative language, policies, and cultural narratives. Educators can counter this through affirmation of diverse gender identities and culturally relevant pedagogy, especially literary representation. Books depicting nonbinary characters with authenticity can function as mirrors and windows, while also acting as telescopes toward a more inclusive, prejudice-free world that feels attainable.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Beyond the Binary

Prevalence and invisibility

School hostility and mental health risks

Experiences and representative narratives

Memoir and legal case examples

i.e.: inquiry in education | Volume 17 Issue 2 | Article 5 | | --- | --- | | 2025
A Collective Journey: Supporting Our Nonbinary Students
April Vazquez
University of Delaware, [aprilv@udel.edu](aprilv@udel.edu)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie](https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie) | | Recommended Citation Vazquez, April. (2025) . A Collective Journey: Supporting Our Nonbinary Students. i. e.: inquiry in education: Vol. 17: Iss. 2, Article 5. Retrieved from: [https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol17/iss2/5](https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/ie/vol17/iss2/5) Copyright © 2025 by the author(s) i.e.: inquiry in education is published by the Center for Inquiry in Education, National-Louis University, Chicago, IL. A Collective Journey: Supporting Our Nonbinary Students April Vazquez University of Delaware Abstract For nonbinary young people, school is often a hostile environment. However, as educators, we can support and affirm diverse gender identities in the classroom, validating students who identify outside the binary and fostering their classmates’ empathy and understanding. A key component of culturally relevant pedagogy is literary representation. By offering books featuring authentic, humanizing depictions of nonbinary characters, we can provide not only mirrors and windows for our students but also telescopes by which something far away—a world free of cisnormative gender prejudice—seems closer and more achievable. Beyond the Binary According to numbers from the LGBTQ+ mental health nonprofit the Trevor Project, more than one in four LGBTQ+ youth identify as nonbinary, 1 with an additional 20% uncertain or questioning whether they identify as nonbinary (Carlisle, 2021) . Among American LGBTQ+ adults, 11% identify as nonbinary (Wilson & Meyer, 2021). However, these numbers are likely tobe an underestimation, as invisibility is a common experience of nonbinary individuals (Kyzer, 2022) . Many nonbinary individuals do not see themselves reflected in everyday language, public policies, or cultural narratives, which can lead to feelings of isolation and invalidation (Kyzer, 2022). Additionally, the pressure to conform to binary gender norms may cause some individuals to hide or suppress their identities, either for safety or social acceptance (Wilson & Meyer, 2021) . This widespread invisibility not only skews data collection and public understanding but also reinforces the marginalization of nonbinary people in all areas of life (Trevor Project, 2021) . For nonbinary young people, school is often a hostile environment (e.g., Kosciw et al., 2020) . Many nonbinary individuals describe their early years as marked by stress and trauma tied to their gender identity—experiences that begin in childhood and extend through adolescence. These patterns are reflected in reports from nonbinary adults, with 82% recalling emotional abuse during 1 Nonbinary refers to individuals whose gender identity and/or expression does not conform to traditional binary male and female categories; other descriptive terms include genderqueer, genderfluid, gender nonconforming, gender variant, gender creative, and, in some indigenous communities, two-spirit (Sinclair-Palm & Gilbert, 2018; Ehrensaft, 2016; Pyne, 2018) . Published by Digital Commons@NLU, 2025 1 their youth (Wilson & Meyer, 2021) . According to a survey by the Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 61% of gender non-conforming children report feeling unsafe in U.S. primary schools, with respondents more likely to be called names, made fun of, and bullied than other children (GLSEN & Harris Interactive, 2012) . The shame and trauma these young people experience can manifest in dangerous and self-destructive ways. The incidence of mental health problems, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, and suicidality are all higher among nonbinary youth than young people in general (Rimes et al., 2019). According to Th

FAQs

Why does school often feel hostile for nonbinary young people?

The text describes nonbinary youth facing invisibility in everyday language and public narratives, pressure to conform to binary norms, and experiences of bullying, misgendering, and exclusion. These dynamics can lead to stress, trauma, shame, and invalidation.

What role does literary representation play in supporting nonbinary students?

The document argues that providing books with authentic, humanizing depictions helps students gain mirrors and windows, and also telescopes toward a world free of cisnormative gender prejudice. This supports affirmation and empathy in the classroom.

How do the document’s cited statistics relate to mental health outcomes?

It links school hostility to heightened risks for mental health concerns, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, and suicidality among nonbinary youth. Examples include high rates of serious suicide consideration and attempts reported in cited surveys.

Oct 15, 2026

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