There are many topics relating to sexuality that deserve more open discussion, one of which is the increasing awareness of the non-binary.
That is, rather than being a binary of just male and female, gender is actually a spectrum—some people don’t identify as either of the traditional genders, while others may identify as both. It can be a difficult topic to navigate, but being respectful of a person’s preferred pronoun is important, as is being mindful of the gender narrative in the bedroom.
Shedding light on the topic in an article for The Body Is Not An Apology, Maya Gittelman explores both the intricacies of the non-binary conversation and what it means to have sex beyond the binary.
Pop culture and societal norms have trained us to view sex in a very scripted, binary-gendered way—the male dominates and penetrates, for example, while the female receives (even in same-sex relationships, one partner often takes on the "masculine" role and one the "feminine"). But Gittelman points out that gender identity is not necessarily directly correlated with what a person likes in bed, and their sexual experiences do not need to be informed by the gender binary.
Whether the non-binary person is you or the person you’re having sex with, it’s important to reframe the conversation around sex to ensure that everyone involved has a positive and empowering experience.
Read Gittelman’s enlightening guide to sex beyond the binary.
