Damned if you do, damned if you don't : How nonbinary students navigate identity in higher education

Abstract: The gender binary is a pervasive idea in society which suggests that there only exist two genders – man and woman. The wide array of differing gender identities would suggest otherwise. Identifying as nonbinary means that you reject the gender binary and identify somewhere between, in both, or beyond the binary. However, research on nonbinary identities has been relatively scarce which suggests an importance of furthering the knowledge in the area. This study aims to examine how nonbinary students navigate their identity at university in Sweden. This is done by examining and trying to understand (1) their experience and treatment by peers and teachers, (2) how they manage these experiences at university, and (3) the experiences that obstruct and facilitate their navigation of their identity. To answer the aim, semi- structured interviews with 6 participants were conducted and analyzed with the help of thematic analysis. The empirical data was analyzed through the lens of cisnormativity, which refers to the idea that everyone’s gender identity is and should be congruent with the one assigned at birth. The findings shows that while nonbinary students in Sweden have generally good relations towards peers and faculty, they are all exposed to microaggressions in the form of misgendering, deadnaming, and invalidating experiences. To manage these discriminating interactions, they develop strategies in the form of preventive measures, avoiding confrontation, confronting behavior as well as the responsibility to educate. The experiences of facing these obstacles as well as the exclusion and erasure of nonbinary identities, was easier facilitated with the support and kinship from peers and faculty. These findings emphasize the importance of removing the burden of responsibility from nonbinary people by normalizing gender identities outside the binary and inviting them into the master narrative of cisnormativity.