Introduction: Experiencing a lack of identity verification is an issue which most of the transgender community struggles with. Non-binary people’s daily struggle for affirmation may be even more difficult in a binary gendered language, which forces speakers to grammatically encode gender distinctions in speech. As such, this study explores such experiences and their impact on non-binary individuals in Italian context.
Methods: We explored the experiences of 13 non-binary Italians via semi-structured interviews. Participants were recruited through social media and LGBTQ+ groups in Italy and the UK. Reflexive thematic analysis was adopted to analyze the data.
Results: Three main themes were developed: (1) Structures of Erasure (subthemes: Unspoken Selves, Gender binary prison, and Institutional binary gender fixation), (2) The Labor of Affirmation, and (3) Affirmative Networks. Our findings suggest that non-binary adults perceived the lack of appropriate and accessible language as being limiting in capturing, expressing, and affirming their identities. For many, this was associated with negative implications for their well-being. Nevertheless, they identified that their families, friends, and community created safe spaces where they felt recognized.
Discussion: These results expand current understanding of the linguistic mechanisms behind non-affirmation and emphasize the importance of having a support network and more accessible gender-neutral Italian for improving mental health and identity affirmation. Furthermore, these findings contribute to our understanding of non-affirmation as not just an act done by other people, but also the inability to express one’s gender in a way that is congruent with their inner self-concept.