Prominent Public Figures Who Identify as Nonbinary

Kate Bornstein (born 1948) is an American author, playwright, performance artist, and gender theorist whose 1994 book *Gender Outlaw* helped popularize nonbinary language. Judith Butler (born 1956) is an American philosopher whose 1990 work *Gender Trouble* introduced the concept of performative gender. Dana Zzyym (born 1958) is an intersex activist who became the first U.S. citizen to receive a passport with an “X” gender marker in 2021 after a lengthy legal battle. John Cameron Mitchell (born 1963) is an actor, playwright, singer, screenwriter, and director who publicly came out as nonbinary in 2022. Joey Soloway (born 1965) is a showrunner, director, and writer best known for the Amazon series *Transparent* and announced a nonbinary and gender-nonconforming identity in 2020. Stephen Trask (born 1967) is a musician and composer whose work on the stage musical *Hedwig and the Angry Inch* earned a queer following; Trask came out as nonbinary in 2021 and uses he/him/she/her pronouns.

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“When it comes to gender and sexuality, I am nothing but possibilities,” — Kate Bornstein, author (personal essay, *New York Times*)

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“The young people gave me the ‘they,’” Butler said. “This generation has come along with the idea of being nonbinary. [It] never occurred to me! Then I thought, Of course I am. What else would I be?” — Judith Butler, philosopher (interview with David Remnick, *The New Yorker*)

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The public acknowledgment of nonbinary identities by creators, scholars, and activists across entertainment, academia, and law underscores a growing cultural shift. Each figure’s coming-out story has been cited in media as evidence that gender categories beyond “male” and “female” are gaining recognition, influencing policy changes such as the introduction of an “X” marker on U.S. passports. Their visibility provides reference points for younger people exploring gender, while also prompting broader discussions about language, legal documentation, and representation in the arts.

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Activists and scholars anticipate continued advocacy for nonbinary inclusion in federal forms, educational curricula, and workplace policies, with upcoming hearings in Congress expected to address gender-marker options and anti-discrimination protections.

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