ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter situates the social science research on non-binary gender identities and language by offering some key definitions and by describing the historical precedence of non-binary gender identities across the globe. I outline the multiple ways in which non-binary thinking – and its linguistic features – have emerged in academic writing, activism, and in the online sphere, particularly in English-speaking societies, as well as some of historical precedence of non-binary gender identities across the globe, demonstrating that non-binary gender identities have existed for millennia. I also outline some of the studies that have attempted to measure the number of non-binary-identified people in the general population and within the trans community. Despite the growing number of non-binary-identified people, I argue that these identities are still largely invisible in the mainstream consciousness. This chapter demonstrates that knowledge around gender diversity is still scarce. Such social unintelligibility carries some consequences for non-binary people in the form of poor mental health outcomes due to discrimination, stigma, and language-based violence. Lastly, I summarise some of the literature on the linguistic negotiations of non-binary people, exploring the significance of language among non-binary communities in terms of its continuous emergence, development, and negotiation, as it demonstrates the urgent need to understand the gender and linguistic becomings of non-binary people.
