As part of the European Commission’s initiative to combat housing exclusion, the Commission has invited civil society organisations to share their experiences. Below we publish Sexualiarte’s contribution.
Comments on: Combating housing exclusion, non-binary people
Sexualiarte is a non-profit association of non-binary people in Spain, based in Seville. Although there is little specific data on the exclusion of non-binary people in the housing sector, we would like to contribute our own insights based on our experience.
Non-binary people do not legally exist in Spain. We are excluded from the 2023 Trans and LGBTI Act, and consequently from any anti-discrimination measures provided for in this law. The state authorities have not compiled any statistics on the situation of non-binary people in any area of our lives. The lack of data also means that there are no public policies specifically designed to address the needs and vulnerabilities of non-binary people.
A 2025 study by the NGO FELGTBI, ‘LGBTI Status 2025’, a socio-economic report [1], includes data on homelessness within the LGBTI+ community, but does not distinguish between trans people in general and non-binary people. According to this research, 19.4% of trans people had to live with friends or family temporarily, 13.9% in a place unsuitable for housing, 22.9% in temporary or emergency accommodation, and 9.4% had to live on the streets. According to the 2024 LGBTIQA+ survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights [2], 33% of non-binary people in Spain have experienced difficulties accessing housing at some point in their lives, 29% had to live with friends or family for a time, 4% in temporary or emergency accommodation, 8% in a place unsuitable for housing, and 4% had to sleep on the streets.
12% of these people cite their gender identity or gender expression as one of the three main reasons for their homelessness, 31% cite problems with family or relationships, and 60% cite financial difficulties or insufficient income.
Among those aged 18 to 24, 53% cite family or relationship problems as one of the three main reasons for their homelessness, and 50% cite financial problems or insufficient income. This reflects the difficulties young non-binary people face in becoming independent from their families, even though they suffer discrimination and violence within the family. According to the same survey, 16% of non-binary people have experienced violence or sexual assault at home, and 10% have experienced harassment. According to a 2022 study by the Ministry of Equality [3], the family is not a safe place for many non-binary people: almost 30% say their family does not accept or questions their gender identity, and 80% have experienced discrimination in family settings or activities. We would like to highlight that 14% of non-binary people aged 15–17 had to live with friends for a time, which is most likely a reflection of the discrimination they face within their families.
Despite the high rates of homelessness among non-binary people, there are no specific resources for this group.
On the other hand, 28% of non-binary people report having experienced discrimination on the basis of their gender identity or expression whilst looking for housing, according to the same survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. This figure most likely does not reflect the reality, as a high percentage of non-binary people practise cis-passing whilst looking for housing, concealing their gender identity.
Furthermore, non-binary people face barriers when looking for a room in a shared flat. Online platforms often only allow you to search for flats with either men or women, but do not allow you to specify that you prefer to live with other non-binary people. Although some platforms label certain flats as ‘LGBT-friendly’, this often does not include being trans or non-binary-friendly.
There are also barriers for non-binary people who can afford to buy a home. As we do not legally exist, the entire process of notarisation and the sales contract is based on the buyer’s registered, binary sex, which may not match their gender expression and, in any case, often requires them to go back into the closet during the purchase process.
Notes:
[1] Federación Estatal de lesbianas, gais, trans, bisexuales, intersexuales y más, FELGTBI+, Informe LGTBI+ 2025, estado socioeconómico, Madrid noviembre de 2025
[2] Agencia de Derechos Fundamentales de la Unión Europea: EU LGBTIQ Survey III, 2024, https://fra.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/data-and-maps/2024/eu-lgbtiq-survey-iii
[3] Isabel López Gómez, Gorka Tobalina Pardo: Estudio sobre las necesidades y demandas de las personas no binarias en España. Ministerio de Igualdad, 2022
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