Mae Martin: Gender, Identity, and Career – A Comprehensive Guide

Mae Martin’s public coming-out as non-binary in 2021 didn’t just add a new label to their biography—it reframed how audiences interpret the semi-autobiographical stories they tell. Their April 14, 2021 announcement welcomed both they/them and she/her pronouns, and since then, that flexibility has become a defining feature of both their public persona and their creative work, from Feel Good to Wayward. This guide answers the most common questions about their gender identity, pronouns, top surgery, diagnosis, and the art that makes them one of the most compelling voices in comedy today.

Born: May 2, 1987 · Birthplace: Toronto, Canada · Known for: Feel Good, Wayward · Pronouns: they/them · Gender identity: Non-binary

Seven key identifiers define Mae Martin’s public profile, each grounded in official records and verified press sources.

What stands out in this table is the consistency between public record and Martin’s own self-description—legal name and chosen pronouns coexist without contradiction.

What gender is Mae Martin?

Pronouns

• Mae Martin publicly states they use they/them and she/her pronouns. In their April 2021 Instagram post, they wrote, “I’m nonbinary, my pronouns are they/them and she/her (I love it when people say ‘they’ but I don’t mind ‘she’ at ALL).” (PinkNews, LGBTQ+ news outlet)
• In later interviews, Martin described their pronoun preference as flexible, saying they are “not that fussed” which is used. (BritBrief, entertainment blog)

Non-binary identity

• Martin has repeatedly described their gender as “ongoing and evolving,” emphasizing that they don’t always feel strongly non-binary – “I just feel like myself,” they told British GQ. (The Independent, UK newspaper)
• They have also said they experience gender dysphoria and have done since childhood. (PinkNews)

Public statements

• In a 2021 profile, Martin recalled being forced out of the girls’ changing room as a child and described sitting between the male and female changing rooms as a metaphor for feeling between categories. (The Independent)
• They have expressed frustration that press coverage often dwells on their gender rather than their broader work, calling the focus “exhausting.” (The Independent)

What is Mae Martin’s diagnosis?

Addiction focus in comedy

• Mae Martin’s stand-up show Dope centers on addiction and recovery. The show evolved over about five years before becoming the basis for Feel Good. (NOW Toronto, local news outlet)

Mental health discussions

• While Martin has been open about substance abuse and recovery, no specific clinical diagnosis (such as ADHD or bipolar disorder) has been confirmed in the provided sources. The topics of mental health and addiction are woven into their storytelling rather than presented as formal diagnoses.

The implication: Martin uses their platform to destigmatize addiction and recovery, but the absence of a confirmed diagnosis means that speculation about specific conditions should be treated as rumor, not fact. The pattern here is deliberate—Martin keeps clinical labels out of the public record while making the experiential reality of addiction central to their work.

Has Mae had top surgery?

Reason and timing

• Mae Martin underwent top surgery in 2021, before moving to Los Angeles. They shared this in a British GQ interview, saying the surgery made them feel more relaxed about photoshoots. (Daily Express, UK tabloid, quoting British GQ)

Public disclosure

• Martin mentioned the surgery in an Instagram post and has referenced it in their comedy special Sap, where they also mention being on a low dose of testosterone. (Daily Express)

What is Mae Martin’s real name?

Full name

• Mae Martin’s full name is Mae Pearl Martin, as listed on Wikipedia. (Wikipedia)

Early life background

• They were born on May 2, 1987 in Toronto, Canada. No alternative birth name or stage name change has been documented.

The pattern: Martin has always performed under their real first name, with “Mae” being their given name. No pseudonym or legal name change has been publicly reported. This consistency between private identity and public persona reinforces the authenticity at the center of their work.

What are Mae Martin’s notable works?

Feel Good

• Channel 4 press materials describe Feel Good as a “deeply personal, darkly hilarious and poignant story about the unique pressures of navigating the modern-day fluid landscape of gender and sexuality.” (Channel 4 Press, official broadcaster)
• The series is semi-autobiographical: Martin plays a fictionalised version of themselves, a Canadian comedian and recovering drug addict living in London. (CBC Arts, Canadian public broadcaster)
• Season 1 premiered on Channel 4 on March 18, 2020, and on Netflix internationally on March 19, 2020. Season 2 was released globally on Netflix on June 4, 2021. (Wikipedia)

Wayward

• In Wayward (2025), Mae Martin plays Alex, a trans man who uses he/him pronouns — a distinct character from their own non-binary identity. (Daily Express)

Stand-up specials

• Martin’s Netflix special Sap includes material about being on a low dose of testosterone and their ongoing gender journey. (Daily Express)

Where was Mae Martin born and raised?

Toronto upbringing

• Mae Martin was born in Toronto, Canada and spent their childhood there. They later moved to London to pursue comedy. (CBC Arts)

Canadian identity

• Martin has described their Canadian upbringing as formative, and their comedy often contrasts Canadian politeness with British bluntness. They retain Canadian citizenship.

The catch: while their early life is well-documented, Martin has deliberately kept details about family and childhood out of the limelight, focusing instead on how their experiences shaped their art. This boundary between public narrative and private biography is itself revealing—Martin controls which parts of their origin story enter the cultural record.