How Nonbinary Individuals Construct and Express Their Gender Identity in Brazil

Abstract

This article explores how nonbinary individuals construct and express their gender identity in Brazil. Drawing on 47 in-depth interviews and integrating queer theory, dramaturgical theory, and the literature on identity play and identity work, we identify a four-stage process (familiarizing, experimenting, testing, and expressing) through which nonbinary individuals navigate gender identity in dynamic context-sensitive ways. First, we show that these stages involve distinct frontstage and backstage performances that vary in intentionality, risk, and audience, challenging assumptions that identity play is always safe or lighthearted. Instead, we demonstrate that identity play can be strategic and risky, often blurring into identity work. Second, we contribute to the literature on indigenous psychology by highlighting the role of jeitinho, a culturally embedded form of informal problem-solving in Brazil. We show how jeitinho enables nonbinary individuals to negotiate gender expression in rigid organizational settings, often through subtle relational strategies. In doing so, we question the universal applicability of inclusion strategies derived from Global North contexts and offer a culturally grounded understanding of nonbinary identity construction in the Global South.