An estimated 38% of the gender non-conforming population of Mexico ages 15 and older—approximately 340,620 people—identify as nonbinary, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law in collaboration with Yaaj México. The majority of them are under the age of 24 and single.
Using data from the National Survey on Sexual and Gender Diversity, a national probability survey on LGBTIQ+ people in Mexico, researchers examined sociodemographic characteristics, stressors, sexuality, health care, and mental health experiences of nonbinary people.
Results show most people (86%) knew that they were nonbinary before they were 17 years old. While most reported that their parents were accepting of their gender identity (89%), about one in ten were forced to undergo conversion therapy to change their sexual orientation (11%) or gender identity or expression (9%).
More than 4 in 10 (43%) nonbinary people in Mexico have had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime, and one-quarter (26%) have attempted suicide. The most common reasons cited were issues with family or partners (51%), health problems (26%), and problems at school (24%).
“Nonbinary people in Mexico face significant challenges, such as discrimination, harassment, and violence, as part of their daily lives,” said lead author Miguel Fuentes Carreño, the Dorr Legg Policy Fellow and Research Data Analyst at the Williams Institute. “More research is needed to examine the high rates suicidality among nonbinary people, including correlations with family or relationship problems.”
Additional Findings
Demographics and socioeconomic characteristics
- Most nonbinary people identified as bisexual (39%), heterosexual (26%), or other (18%). Among those who chose another sexual orientation, most reported pansexual (45%).
- Some nonbinary people identified as Afro-descendants (4%), and almost one in five (19%) identified as Indigenous.
- Two-thirds of respondents (69%) had either a middle or high school education, and almost a quarter (24%) had a college degree.
- Two-thirds of nonbinary people (68%) identified their religion as some denomination within Catholicism, and almost a third (29%) reported not being religious or being atheist/agnostic.
Victimization and stress
- During childhood, many nonbinary people reported being made to feel different based on their interests (46%) or mannerisms and behavior (42%).
- Many nonbinary individuals experienced negative incidents during childhood, such as being insulted, mocked, or subjected to offensive remarks (50%), rejected (39%), having their belongings stolen or destroyed (36%), or physically assaulted (35%).
- Across their lifespan, almost half of nonbinary people were humiliated or made to feel ashamed (49%), sent offensive messages (46%), or touched without consent (44%).
Health
- In the 12 months before the survey, three-quarters (75%) of nonbinary people experienced distress, and about two-thirds struggled with insomnia (64%), anxiety (66%), or changes in eating behaviors or weight (65%).
- More than a quarter of nonbinary people access health care providers primarily through medical offices in pharmacies (28%) or public hospitals (28%).