Nevo Zisin, 24
Author, Speaker and Educator
Queer, Jewish, Non-Binary, Trans, Bisexual, pansexual and polyamorous
They/them
“As someone who's come out so many times, I've learned now that having ever-expansive language is the way that I can find myself in that space,” Nevo says matter-of-factly.
Nevo was assigned female at birth but by the time they were four had started presenting as male, much to their mother’s dismay.
“My mom was really desperate to have a daughter, so she was pushing me into frilly pink dresses that I hated. I’d have tantrums, kicking and screaming at the girls’ section of the store. I just wanted to wear black or dragons or skulls. I wanted my hair cut short. It was pretty straightforward for me, but my mum was devastated,” Nevo remembers.
And so began Nevo’s colourful and sometimes heart-breaking journey into the world of sexuality and gender while growing up in the “bagel-belt” of Melbourne among the Jewish community.
From first identifying as lesbian in high school, and then transitioning to present as male to now embracing their non-binary gender, Nevo has endured bullying and faced discrimination but remained true to themself in their complex journey of self-discovery and acceptance. The experience led to Nevo to write their memoirs called Finding Nevo, which was published in 2017.
“The first time I realized I was trans was definitely one of the hardest times in my life. But realizing I was non-binary was really hard as well, because I had done all of this work, and I felt like no one would understand. And I just felt really angry at myself. I was like, ‘Can we stop? I'm giving you everything you want. Why can't you just be happy with what I’m offering?’ I’ve been unpacking that for many years, and I've identified as non-binary longer now than as any other,” Nevo reflects.
Realising the importance of helping others navigate the complex territory of gender and sexuality, Nevo now spends much of their time speaking at various events or running educational workshops, sharing their personal journey in the process. Most recently, Nevo has been appointed as an ambassador of Wear It Purple supporting LGBTIQ+ teenagers.
Photo notes:
Nevo is photographed here speaking during the 2019 Melbourne Writer’s Festival, where they had multiple speaking and performance appearances celebrating their gender and sexuality.