Hello, I am not non-binary but I had an idea for a fantasy story involving a non-binary person. Without going into too many details, it’s a sort of Wild West like world and non-binary is not a concept that is readily acknowledged in the culture of this world but the struggle with being non-binary is not the main focus of the story so much as it it’s a daily constant. Like how I am black and every day does not have to be an essay on race relations for that fact to inform my daily life.

My plan is to just not have my character use pronouns when they think of themselves as the concept of the gender binary as something to critique is not yet of this world. Is this a sound approach? Also, any other ways I can indicate this person is non-binary without just saying they are?

Sadly I do not yet have enough written to give you a sample of the character but I will say the main struggle in this story is trying not to be defined by a narrative that other people, especially the main villain, are trying to set for them.

If anything I have presented sounds ignorant or insulting, I am sorry. I can only learn by admitting the limits of my experience and hoping others can help. I do not promise this will ever be published or finished but I do promise anything you say will be appreciated.