There are More than 2 Genders

and I'm proof of it

Last night, we went to a musical called '& Juliet' at the Saenger Theater. I didn't know anything about it except that it was primarily based on pop music songs reworked to fit into a retelling of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' where Juliet doesn't kill herself.

It was great. Fun. Cute. Great costumes. Talented actors. But what I loved the most and what was most unexpected was an entire storyline about a non-binary character (who I later read was played by a non-binary actor).

It was refreshing. Especially considering a few hours earlier in the day, while grabbing a cappuccino at a coffee shop, I saw an article on the front page of the New York Times that said, "Americans warm to Trump's Ideas … Broad Support of Policies on Immigration and Gender, Poll Finds".

After that sad reminder, I needed this. I needed to see non-binary people celebrated, prioritized, and, most importantly, discussed.

I teared up while the character, May, sang "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman" as a non-binary anthem that ended with Juliet saying she doesn't think of May as a boy or girl, just as a friend. In my life, I have felt all of the emotions that song was meant to trigger. In the deepest parts of me, this was familiar. I remember wondering if I'd ever be accepted, loved, or have friends if I started being my true self. Thank God I had the right therapist at that time in my life and found the best community.

Today, I saw that Trump said something like, ‘Americans will have more freedoms than ever before, but also that the US will only recognize two genders.’

Well, first, that doesn't really make sense, and second, I hate to break it to him, but we're still here. I'm here in all my non-binaryness. And as history has shown - change and progression tend to happen regardless of what one (or millions of) straight man (men) might want. It's just not easy for any of us.

I'll never totally understand people's fear of trans and non-binary people. Of course, marginalized groups, people outside the societal norms, are often feared by people tied to the good old days and stuck in the past. This fear and hate even happens inside the queer world at times. It seems no societal group can escape othering others.

But we're all just people trying to get by in this often challenging world, and if I'm not hurting you, why would you hurt me?

Toward the end of the play, May, the non-binary character, kisses a male character, singing, "I kissed a girl" The scene ends with May saying, "you know I'm not a girl, right?" the male character replies, "I don't care".

The playbook had a statement that said, "May is very Shakespeare, The Bard wrote plenty of characters outside the gender binary," with a QR code to a page where people could learn more.

As I wiped the tears from my eyes, I felt very seen.

I think that's often what most of us are really looking for.

Non-binary and trans friends, I see you.