Nonbinary people: Perceived social support in personal relationships and (virtual) communities

Abstract

Background Nonbinary individuals grapple with societal and individual pressures from a pervasive lack of comprehension, acknowledgment, and affirmative social representation. This dearth of a societal conversation recognizing the validity of nonbinary identities leads to instances of discrimination. Social support is recognized as a buffer to these experiences and is positively related to better physical and psychological health. Aims To explore the processes nonbinary people experienced with their most significant relationships, be it romantic, friendships, and/or family members, before and after disclosure of nonbinary identification. Additionally, we sought to contextualize their participation, or nonparticipation, in activist groups and virtual communities. Methods The present study adopts a qualitative methodology to build an initial understanding of the perceived social support of non-binary people in Portugal. We conducted non-structured life story interviews with thirty-three Portuguese nonbinary people and analyzed the collected data using thematic analysis. Results The findings are illustrated by two main themes: the Flow of Relational Support, where we explored the support perceived or not by the most significant relationships; and The Search and Find of Community Support, where we characterized the search and find of support through the participation in activist and virtual communities/groups. Discussion The current findings illustrate the positive influence of perceived social support on the experiences of nonbinary individuals. Of note, these experiences were highly diverse, with no participants reporting comprehensive support from all the sources explored. Additionally, the detrimental impact of perceiving a lack of support in some critical areas remained prominent. Individuals struggled to gain recognition and validation, resulting from a lack of relational support and a reluctance to seek out and find community support. Nonbinary individuals confront intense scrutiny and prejudice from the broader social sphere, compromising their ability to live openly.