With the holiday season rapidly approaching, it can be overwhelming to find meaningful gifts for the LGBTQIA+ people in your life. December is challenging for queer individuals due to higher chances of familial isolation compared to their straight cisgender counterparts. Here are ten gift recommendations for your nonbinary loved ones.
Disclaimer: None of these items are sponsored! All listed products are based on my honest and personal opinion, so take them with a grain of salt.
Affirmation Cards ($15)
In my previous gift guides for transgender men and women, I suggested affirmation journals. These journals allow users to express their feelings in a meaningful, guided format to help digest tough emotions – so if you’re able to find a suitable affirmation journal, they’re still a quality choice.
In contrast, affirmation cards replace the journaling aspect and replace it with mantras. Affirmation methods like mantras have been proven to be effective in focusing the mind and shifting individuals away from negative thoughts. These are a great DIY gift, so spend time writing affirmation statements like…
- “I am worthy of receiving good things and accomplishing my goals in life.”
- “I am allowed to feel upset, angry, and sad sometimes – it’s part of being human.”
- “I deserve to be loved and to love others.”
- “I am allowed to take up space, to have desires, and to have a voice.”
- “I have done difficult things in the past, and I can do them again.”
Pride Blanket ($50)
Unfortunately, most pride merchandise is ugly – by nature, pride flags use sharp colors that make obnoxious shirts or the infamous rainbow suit. Pride apparel is also difficult to wear in public since it can feel dangerous to be openly queer in most spaces.
Pride decor offers a happy medium between these extremes since these items are kept within the comfort of one’s home. Fleece and throw blankets are comforting, safe, and always useful. We’re always queer – including at home, so help bring a little bit more pride into their life.
Enamel Pins ($10)
Queer people love pins and buttons. These items have a long history in underground media that have influenced queer subculture. Enamel pins also double as cute accessory items for clothes and bags since they’re incredibly easy to pop on.
Unsure what pin to get them? Pronoun enamel pins are the perfect place to start, especially if they experience misgendering regularly. Or just go for pins based on their favorite interests!
Self-Care Kit ($35)
If they’ve been stressed or overwhelmed lately, self-care kits are practical and thoughtful gifts to encourage them to spend time on themselves. Self-care kits are customizable, so they offer greater freedom in choosing what items will suit your loved one best. Most kits include comfort snacks, mindfulness exercises, and candles, but anything can be self-care!
Skincare items are a great addition to transgender self-care kits. While not all transgender individuals undergo medical transition, hormone replacement therapy can be taxing on the skin during its early stages. When gifted alongside their favorite snacks, these items can make for a wonderful self-care day.
Transgender Guide & Workbook ($25)
There are thousands of self-help books available online, but a decent workbook can provide structured guidance regarding the medical, social, and legal aspects of transition. Not all transgender people want to transition, so make sure they’re interested in some aspects of the process before giving them a workbook.
While there is tons of information online, it can be exhausting to search through to find mediocre answers. Transgender-centered guides aim to answer questions they wouldn’t think to search Google about HRT, surgery, identity documents, legal rights, and more. Accepting Gender is a dense workbook created by nonbinary counselor Alex Stitt and grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy to guide readers in understanding their gender identity beyond the traditional male-female binary. Alternatively, Theo Lorenz’s Trans Self-Care Workbook is a combination coloring book and journal that uses cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and mindfulness. If they’re seeking medical or legal-based advice, check out Trans Bodies, Trans Selves instead.
Transgender Memoir ($20)
Although transgender identities have become more visible within the last decade, we’re still vastly underrepresented in the media. A good memoir connects its reader with the lived experiences of the writer, exploring their life’s challenges while offering inspiring advice and telling a captivating story.
There are hundreds of transgender memoirs out there. The top three I recommend for nonbinary individuals include Gender Queer, None of the Above, and Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity.
- Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer was the most banned book in 2021, and it’s still frequently challenged by US public schools due to its content. Banned books are always important to read, and Gender Queer is a cathartic (albeit controversial) graphic novel.
- Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity is an anthology edited by Micah Rajunov and A. Scott Duane, covering the stories of over 30 writers to describe the true diversity of nonbinary experiences. There isn’t one way to be nonbinary, and this collection holds a variety of experiences that will connect.
- Travis Alabanza published None of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary in 2022. The limited amount of nonbinary identities currently represented by media currently still focuses on white perspectives to appeal to mainstream audiences. None of the Above tells the real experiences of a Black writer navigating an unkind world, needing a bit more intersectionality.
LGBTQIA+ Board Game ($20 – $50)
Are they social and enjoy hanging out with friends? Indie board games have seen a rise in popularity over the past decade and offer a fun way to spend quality time beyond classics like Monopoly and Scrabble.
Consider their personality and preferences. If they enjoy structured gameplay, go with a game like Gayopoly – it’s a LGBTQIA+ take on the classic game that is fairly easy to understand without reading hundreds of rules. On the other hand, go with a card-based game like Radical Queer Witches, Queeriosity, or Scurvy Buggers if they’re a social butterfly. At the end of the day, you want to make sure you get a game they’ll actually want to play with you.
Hobby Starter Kit ($25)
It’s always fun when starting a new hobby, even if you don’t stick with it. Sure, you could try to push them to continue their previous hobbies – but it’s just as easy to be the devil on their shoulder and inspire them into a new hyperinterest.
Hobby starter kits are inexpensive and save them the trouble of getting too deep into an interest before determining whether it’s for them. Here are a couple of guides filled with kit suggestions.
Small Business Gift Card (PICK YOUR OWN BUDGET!)
Corporations dominate the vast majority of the consumer market (gotta love capitalism), so it’s hard to find someone who isn’t interested in supporting small businesses. Look up to find small queer-owned businesses near you and buy a gift card to invite them to make an interesting purchase.
Not all areas have flourishing small businesses. Check out the Rolling Stones’ suggestions for LGBTQIA+-owned brands that serve and ship to anywhere in the United States.
Charity Donation (PICK YOUR OWN BUDGET!)
Maybe they’re not into physical gifts, and none of the above options stuck out. For a person who’s got it all, you can donate to a cause in their name – just make sure they’re keen on the idea.There are hundreds of nonprofits out there, so pick a charity best tailored to them. The most common ones include the ACLU, HRC, Lambda Legal, Trevor Project, A4TE, Trans Lifeline, and SAGE, but make sure to consider smaller organizations or local nonprofits.