Joy beyond the binary: Experiences and constructions of joy in nonbinary lives

In recent years, sociologists have begun exploring the experiences of gender-expansive populations. However, these studies are oversaturated with negative experiences of prejudice and discrimination and do not accurately portray the joy which accompanies identifying outside of the gender binary. To address what shuster and Westbrook (2022) coined as the joy deficit in sociology and trans studies, I conducted in-depth interviews with 28 nonbinary participants, in which they discussed their experiences of joy. These interviews unveiled three primary themes relating to nonbinary joy. First, participants experienced joy through exploring and constructing their gender identities. Second, participants described how expressing their gender in their desired ways and having their gender affirmed creates joy. Third, participants experienced joy through being in safe spaces and being connected with queer and nonbinary communities. Through examining these dimensions of joy within nonbinary lives, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the positive aspects of gender diversity and informs discussions surrounding identity, community, resilience, and well-being for gender-expansive populations.