Mae Martin has described their frustrations around gender identity in a new interview, recalling early experiences where they felt “so confused”.
The Canadian-British comedian, actor and writer rose to fame on Channel 4’s Feel Good, a semi-autobiographical romantic-comedy series in which they play Mae, a version of themself.
The series tackles issues including addiction, sexuality, PTSD and gender identity. In an episode from the second season, an incident where Mae is addressed as “sir” prompts them to accept their identity as non-binary, or post non-binary.
“It’s so frustrating that so much of identity is about comparison, I just feel like myself,” Martin told GQ Hype for a new cover interview. “I don’t even feel nonbinary. I just wake up, have a coffee and go to work.”
Reflecting on early experiences involving gender, Martin said: “I remember middle-aged women forcing me out of the girls’ changing room when I was ten, because I had my towel around my waist and short hair. And being so confused, because I don’t feel like I want to go to the men’s changing room, and I don’t feel like I’m safe in the girls’ changing room.
“So I remember just sitting there with wet hair, in between the two changing rooms. It was like the perfect metaphor… the chlorine drying on my skin and waiting for my Dad to come out of the men’s changing room.”
Seasons one and two of Feel Good are available to watch now on Netflix and All 4.
