Petition · past parliament · Cabinet Office
Make being non-binary a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010
Closed
261 signatures
What the petition asks
Currently, under the UK 2010 Equality Act, non-binary individuals are not explicitly protected, leaving their protection up to individual court rulings. Many institutions use binarist (e.g. 'he/she' instead of 'they') language, and no recourse is available to non-binary individuals.
In the UK, there are currently an estimated 266,600 non-binary individuals. Many institutions, including public bodies, still use gendered language in documents, and news companies use 'he/she' instead of inclusive alternatives. Trans populations have the lowest life satisfaction compared to LGBTQ+ average, and many TGNB individuals have suffered with mental health issues. The government needs to step in, and make being non-binary a protected characteristic.
Timeline
| 22 Apr 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 22 Oct 2021 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
261
Status
Closed
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
22 Apr 2021
Closed
22 Oct 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.