@fsuthey's Community Space and the Nonbinary Folx of FSU
Knowing that FSU has an underrepresented nonbinary community, I reached out to @fsuthey on their opinions, their community, what they do to foster a space for nonbinary students, and how they function as a nonbinary gimmick account owner. Throughout our conversation, we discussed the plight of nonbinary students, the on-campus spaces that they navigate, and how there should be more done for the nonbinary community at Florida State University. While they do have an amazing space for these folx on their Instagram, they highlight that there should ultimately be more done to provide these people with comfort and accessibility. That said, the humor they share with others on their Instagram provides a small reprieve for them and their community. Florida State has a long way for gender inclusivity, but @fsuthey's account gimmick allows for the insecurity felt by nonbinary FSU students to be alleviated, as they express their own struggles and triumphs as a nonbinary person through both humor and experience.
This goes to show that a gimmick account also can be used to push for the necessary tools and support within everyday spaces at Florida State University. This grants both alleviations of negative emotion and may double as a starting point for progress and achievement for communities that feel strong-armed by the zeitgeist of prominently designed cis-gendered spaces on campus. The nonbinary community at the university continues to struggle with their inclusion because this campus maintains antiquated views of gender and community. To truly get past that, these issues must be discussed, acknowledged, and solved through discussion, empathy, and time. I hope that this investigation may also be a stepping stone in the right direction.
@fsuthey provided amazing insight into their life as a nonbinary student at the university attempting to navigate their campus. Because of this, they decided to take it upon themselves to create an Instagram page from the ground up. This made their gimmick account a safe space for nonbinary students that encourages relatability and ease, providing students with comfort and support as the days go on.
