Happy Non-Binary Week: 9 Non-Binary and Genderqueer Indie Musicians You Need to Know
Celebrate Non-Binary Week 2020 with these musicians we love.
It's Non-Binary Week, dedicated to those who don't fit within the traditional gender binary.
This week in mid-July has been defined as "a week by, for, and about non-binary people," dedicated to uplifting and celebrating them. It's an extension of Non-Binary People's Day, typically celebrated on July 14.
Though genders outside of the male-female binary have existed in a number of ancient cultures, terms like "non-binary" and "genderqueer" were first used in the 1990s. Since then, many people have come out as non-binary—whatever that means for them. Some non-binary people still use the pronouns they were assigned at birth, while others might prefer they/them or other neutral pronouns.
As these gender non-conforming identities have become more mainstream, we've seen more folks coming out as non-binary in pop culture, specifically music. Artists like Sam Smith, Janelle Monae, and Miley Cyrus have all stated that they don't feel they fit in the gender binary. Below, we've rounded up nine other non-binary musicians you need to have on your radar.
Shamir
Ever since breaking out with the single "On the Regular" in 2014 and subsequently supporting Troye Sivan on tour, Shamir Bailey—the musician known mononymously as Shamir—has become known for his blend of rock and synth-pop as well as his unmistakable countertenor voice.
In a 2015 interview with Dummy Magazine, Shamir said he felt "genderless" and doesn't have a strong pronoun preference. "I don't like to identify strictly as a male, [and] I don't like to identify as a female," he explained. "I don't feel tethered to a gender like that, you know?"