![Page 1.
A comic page of 2 panels in black lines and full colour. The narration is provided in caption boxes.
Panel 1. A group of friends seated around a table in a café laugh together. They include a man with curly hair in a t-shirt, a light-skinned woman in a long-sleeved shirt and hijab, and a man in a hoodie. Narrator: “There’s a beautiful poem by J. J. Espinoza that begins: “I imagine all my cis friends laughing at tranny jokes...” It captures the anxiety of growing up with a gender-nonconforming identity.” Off to the side, we see the main character, a non-binary person with medium dark skin and blonde hair that transitions to pink at the ends, dressed in a cropped orange singlet top and green jacket. They look dejected as they work on a tablet computer.
Panel 2. Narrator: “Gender is how we identify ourselves privately and socially—it shapes so much of our world. But a lot of us with non-binary identities experience gender in different ways. Ways that feel alien to others, and alienating to ourselves.” Close up on the main character. We see that they have a scraggly beard, painted red nails, are wearing a heart-shaped choker, and holding a yellow purse. They are surrounded by speech bubbles containing questions: Man or woman? Which one is it really? Why are you dressed like a [censored slur]? How do you even have sex? You’re just doing this for attention!](https://newnaratif.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NewNaratif_NonBinaryComic_Page1_Web.jpg)






References
[1] Full poem at: https://apogeejournal.org/2016/06/28/queer-history-queer-now/#Espinoza
[2] The Gender Cone by Olivia Paramour. https://linktr.ee/oliviaparamour
[3] Bornstein, K., & Drucker, Z. (2017). Gender Is a Playground. Aperture, (229), 24-31. Available at https://aperture.org/editorial/gender-playground/
[4] The Yogyakarta Principles address a broad range of international human rights standards and their application to SOGI issues. On 10 Nov. 2017 a panel of experts published additional principles expanding on the original document reflecting developments in international human rights law and practice since the 2006 Principles, The Yogyakarta Principles plus 10. The new document also contains 111 ‘additional state obligations’, related to areas such as torture, asylum, privacy, health and the protection of human rights defenders. The full text of the Yogyakarta Principles and the Yogyakarta Principles plus 10 are available at: www.yogyakartaprinciples.org.
Acknowledgements
This comic is part of the project “Being Nonbinary in Indonesia – An Advocacy Project Through Comics” led by Erik Nadir under the APTN Amplifying Trans Advocacy Fellowship 2020. It draws from a focus group discussion held for non-binary individuals under the same project. Special thanks to Arin Shabrina and Sarah F. Hana for helping to facilitate and organise the discussion; to all the participants for sharing their experiences; and to the Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN) for the support.
Further Information
If you’d like to learn more or access resources for non-binary individuals, here are groups and organisations you can reach out to:
- New Naratif
New Naratif is running an LGBTQIA+ channel on our Discord server to get to know each other better and start building transnational solidarity for the Southeast Asian LGBTQIA+ community. To join, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
- Asia Pacific Transgender Network
APTN is a trans-led organisation that supports and advocates for the rights for trans and gender diverse people in Asia and the Pacific. Follow APTN on social media for updates including fellowship opportunities specifically for trans and gender diverse people.
Website: https://weareaptn.org
Instagram: @WeAreAPTN
Twitter: @WeAreAPTN
- ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus is a regional organization consisting of LGBTIQ+ human rights defenders advocating for the promotion, protection, fulfilment and enjoyment of human rights regardless of their sexual and gender identities throughout Southeast Asia.
Email: info@aseansogiecaucus.org
Website: https://aseansogiecaucus.org/
Twitter: @ASEANSOGIE
Instagram: @aseansogiecaucus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aseansogie/
- Non-Binary Peer Support Group (Indonesia)
Any non-binary persons based in Indonesia seeking support are welcome to join this group, which is conducted in Bahasa Indonesia. Contact Erik Nadir through email (eriknadjr@gmail.com) to join. All registrants will be vetted to ensure the safety of the group.
- Arus Pelangi (Indonesia)
Arus Pelangi is a member-based federation that is non-profit, non-governmental, and adheres to the values of non-discrimination, pluralism, non-violence, independence, inclusion, solidarity, collectivity, democracy, transparency and accountability. Arus Pelangi was formed on March 10th, 2006 in Jakarta with the vision to fulfil the rights of oppressed people based on their SOGIESC in Indonesia.
Twitter: @aruspelangi
Instagram: @aruspelangi
- Pink Triangle Foundation (Malaysia)
Pink Triangle Foundation is a community-based non-profit organisation in Malaysia that focuses on promoting better sexual health and providing a non-discriminatory free community-based testing site and counselling across Klang Valley. Unfortunately, due to the Malaysia lockdown situations, PTF is unable to provide this currently. On PTF’s IG page, anyone can choose to book their anonymous testing session for when it is possible.
Website: http://ptfmalaysia.org/v2/
Outreach Manager Email: kevin@ptfmalaysia.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ptfmalaysia
Instagram: @jomtest_ptfoundation
- Tabung Pelangi (Malaysia)
Tabung Pelangi is a small initiative which supports non-binary persons by providing resources for queer individuals in Malaysia including their chest binder drive. They also publish an annual non-profit queer art zine, Stories for A Cause, and their second edition will be launching mid-July. Stories from queer Malaysians will be used to fundraise for PLUHO Org’s queer-affirming therapy subsidy fund.
Find out more about their work at https://tabungpelangi.carrd.co/.
- Cempaka Collective / Gocoh! (Malaysia)
Cempaka Collective has published Gocoh! – a Malay-language webzine which discusses issues and strategies around anarcha-feminism and queer anarchism perspectives.
Read more about their work at https://gocoh.noblogs.org/about/.