"I don't get non-binary"... Use Your Imagination.

Catalyst: overheard from someone

<Gender is a CD player.>

<Everyone's gender identity is a CD.>

<Mine is something else round,>

<like a pancake or something.>

Okay now let's work off that.

Explanation 1

Gender is a DVD player.

Everyone's gender identity is a DVD disc.

Mine is a bluray disc.

~So you see the language gap~

~Let's take it a step further~

Explanation 1.1

The DVD player was made to read DVD discs.

It can't understand a bluray disc.

So the bluray gets spit out.

During ejection the disc gets jostled.

They land in a pile of DVD discs.

The inventor knew DVD discs were fragile.

They have cases to protect them.

The bluray disc does not have such privilege.

Their fragile form will feel every bump and scratch. 

The DVD discs are great in number.

Most of their armor is undisturbed.

Only the front lines notice the bluray disc's impact.

The bluray disc does not have such privilege.

Every hit is full impact with no others to dilute.

~And let's not forget the language barrier~

~The creator hasn't considered there is~

~Need for a software update~

~To include bluray code~

Explanation 2

Society is the board.

Gender is the holes of various shapes.

People's gender identity is their wooden block.

Block shapes correspond to hole shapes.

I have a mound of playdoh.

I infinitely fit into all and none of the holes.

~Is this progress?~

Explanation 2.1

The creator has switch products.

The new product is a toy wooden shelf.

It has a variety of differently shaped holes.

Each hole has a wooden block.

Blocks has shapes corresponding to the shelf holes.

~There is range now.~

~But there is still an agreed upon limit.~

The creator doesn't care if there is a playdoh.

So long as it fits itself into a pre-made hole.

The playdoh can even get away with shifting.

Sneakily switching forms between holes is tolerated.

But ignoring the hole shape?

No.

The blocks will use their group rigidity.

They will push the playdoh into a form of

Their choosing.

Morphing into a shape that fits is not enough.

The playdoh must conform.

It doesn't matter there is a range of choice.

The playdoh does not work on this system.

They can never truly conform.

~So are they powerless?~

Explanation 2.12

~Not exactly.~

~Playdoh is sticky.~

~And when it dries it might as well be permanent.~

There are blocks that accept the playdoh.

There are blocks that include the playdoh.

The playdoh shares pieces of themself.

These blocks gain aspects of the playdoh.

The holes still exist.

So the playdoh has to go through them.

But they can leave bits on themself on the edges.

Over time the shape changes to accommodate.

This is how I experience gender.