Burn Your Draft is back with interviews from the class of 2025 and the class of 2026. We’re also welcoming our new student producer, Ivy Liu, this fall.

In this episode, we hear from 2026 graduate Haydyn about their “me-search” (research tied to the self) on how nonbinary people make use of dominant frameworks in identity sense making. In their thesis, they explore the questions: How do nonbinary individuals make sense of identity through both constructivism and essentialism? How do nonbinary people use legitimization strategies to explain their identity to others? Haydyn also takes us through their process of developing and doing research, tips for other students, and their future plans.