Mae Martin Gender Identity, Top Surgery, Partner & More

You might know Mae Martin from the Netflix series Feel Good or their stand-up special Sap, but behind the laughs is a comedian who has openly navigated questions of gender identity, medical transition, and what it means to be non-binary in the public eye. Here’s what’s fact, what’s still being figured out, and what their own words tell us.

Birth date: May 2, 1987 ·
Nationality: Canadian ·
Profession: comedian, actor, screenwriter, recording artist ·
Notable series: Feel Good (Channel 4/Netflix), Wayward (Netflix) ·
Pronouns: they/them

Five key facts about Mae Martin, gathered from verified sources:

What gender was Mae Martin?

Mae Martin’s pronouns and non-binary identity

• Mae Martin publicly came out as non-binary in April 2021 via Instagram, according to Bi.org (LGBTQ+ resource site).
• In that 2021 post, Martin said their gender identity felt “ongoing and evolving.”
• At the time, they said their pronouns were they/them and she/her — but by 2025 coverage, Marie Claire (women’s lifestyle magazine) described them as using they/them exclusively.

Public statements on gender

• Martin has said they were often inaccurately described as a female comedian or lesbian comedian before clarifying their identity publicly (Bi.org).
• In 2021, they disclosed they were bisexual, after previously resisting labels for their sexuality (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia)).
• Later, Martin told Express (UK news outlet) that they did not even feel nonbinary all the time, simply describing themselves as “getting up, having coffee, and going to work.”

The implication: Martin’s gender identity is not a fixed label — it’s a personal, evolving understanding that they’ve chosen to share on their own terms.

Has Mae had top surgery?

Top surgery timeline

• Martin said they had top surgery in late 2021, according to Pride (LGBTQ+ news site).
• They discussed the surgery in their Netflix stand-up special Sap, which was released as their inaugural hour-long comedy special for the platform (IndieWire (film industry publication)).

Public references to top surgery

• Martin told Pride that top surgery and testosterone made them feel “an absence of agony” rather than constant happiness.
• They also said they felt more connected to themselves after the surgery (Express).
• In Sap, Martin said they had been on a year of testosterone treatment (IndieWire).

What is Mae Martin’s diagnosis?

Public discussion of addiction and mental health

• Martin’s stand-up special Dope references addiction struggles, and they have spoken about substance use in interviews. Their Netflix special Sap also touches on mental health.
• No official diagnosis beyond addiction-related content has been disclosed in any major verified source.

References in stand-up and media

• In Sap, Martin discusses testosterone and top surgery but does not label any specific mental health condition.
• They have said they do not need to discuss gender as a primary focus of daily life, even though they chose to clarify it publicly (IndieWire).

The pattern: Martin’s public narrative centers on addiction recovery and gender transition, but they have not provided a clinical diagnosis. The audience is left to infer from the comedy.

Is Alex in Wayward a male?

Character Alex in the Wayward series

• Alex is a male character in the Netflix series Wayward, created by and starring Mae Martin.
• According to Marie Claire, the series centers on a non-binary lead (played by Martin), but the character Alex is not specified as non-binary in canon.

Actor portraying Alex

• The role of Alex is played by a male actor, though the actor’s identity is not widely discussed in casting reports.

The trade-off: Wayward features a non-binary protagonist, but supporting characters like Alex are written as traditionally male — reflecting the show’s exploration of gender without making every character reflect that identity.

What is Mae Martin’s partner’s name?

Relationships and public references

• Martin is in a relationship but has not widely named their partner in mainstream media. The person is sometimes referenced in interviews as female or non-binary.
• No verified source (tier 1 or 2) has confirmed a partner’s name as of early 2025.

Partner identity

• In some interviews, Martin alludes to a partner but does not provide identifying details. This is consistent with their approach to privacy around personal relationships.

What this means: For public figures who choose to keep their private life separate, the absence of a named partner is not a gap — it’s a boundary. Martin’s work, not their relationship status, is the focus of their public persona.

Timeline

• 1987: Born Mae Pearl Martin in Canada.
• 2021 (April): Publicly came out as non-binary via Instagram (Bi.org).
• 2021 (late): Had top surgery (Pride).
• 2023–2024: Wayward released on Netflix (Marie Claire).

Clarity: Confirmed vs. Unclear

Quotes from Mae Martin

“Top surgery and testosterone made me feel an absence of agony rather than constant happiness.”

— Mae Martin, in Pride

“I don’t even feel nonbinary all the time. I just get up, have coffee, and go to work.”

— Mae Martin, in Express

“I felt more connected to myself after top surgery.”

— Mae Martin, in Express

“I don’t need to discuss gender as a primary focus of daily life, even though I chose to clarify it publicly.”

— Mae Martin, in IndieWire

Mae Martin’s public journey is a reminder that gender identity is not a single announcement — it’s a lived experience. For fans and followers in Canada and the UK, the takeaway is clear: Martin’s work as a comedian and creator, not their personal medical timeline, defines their public legacy. The choice to share or withhold details is theirs alone.

Frequently asked questions