InFocus: Queer and Disabled Story by PWDA member Lex
InFocus: Queer & Disabled is a digital storytelling campaign led by PWDA, centring the voices and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people with disability.
I deserve to be respected as a true non-binary and that’s why I’m going to talk about my story.
My story is about being bullied and discriminated against as a non-binary person who uses they/them pronouns.
When I was at school, I wasn’t sure if I was a man or a woman, people often asked me if I was a man or a woman. Teachers and others questioned my gender identity, and when I chose not to answer those personal questions, I sometimes got into trouble. I was also bullied and judged because people assumed things about my sexuality and identity.
In 2022, I joined an LGBTQIA+ social group called Pridability. Being part of this community helped me better understand myself. It was there that I realised I am non-binary and that they/them pronouns feel right for me.
Since then, I have tried to help educate others about respecting people’s gender identity and pronouns.
Sometimes people still refuse to respect my identity, and that can be hurtful and upsetting.
I am sharing my story because I want people to understand how important it is to respect non-binary people and our pronouns. Everyone deserves to feel safe, accepted and valued for who they are.
