Pronouns Intro
Creating an inclusive environment also includes using the right pronouns when referencing someone. In this article we’re going to talk more about pronouns and the importance of using the correct ones.
What is a Pronoun?
The pronoun is the descriptor used in place of a noun, for example, you can say “she” instead of the name Thaisa or “he” instead of the name Koji or they instead of the name Chery since Cherry identifies as non-binary.
What’s the Story Around it?
Romance languages like Portuguese and Spanish for example have feminine or masculine names for almost everything and few neutral words, unfortunately, but this is a subject for another time. The pronouns add the context about the gender the person identifies to the person you’re describing, and different languages treat pronouns differently.
For example, Luis Cornejo is a licensed marriage & family therapist, he’s the founder of Psychosocial Therapy and just launched a podcast episode.
Neutral Pronouns
Some people might feel comfortable with “she/her/hers” and “he/him/his” pronouns but it doesn’t mean these pronouns are always the way to go. For some queer, non-binary and transgender people, gendered pronouns like “he/him” and “she/her” may not fit since the use of them doesn’t represent who they are and how they see themselves.
For example, Cherry goes by “they/them/theirs” pronouns as they identify as a gender non conforming.
Why it Matters
You can make someone feel safe and trusted if you use the correct pronouns. You can validate their experience in this world, so my tip is to include your pronouns in your social media platforms, your email signature, company presentations and every time you’re introduced to a new person, you can mention your name and last name and also the pronouns you prefer. Never try to guess the other person’s pronoun, the right way to go is to share yours and ask for their preferred pronouns if they didn’t mention it before. If you get it wrong, apologize and correct yourself.
Using More Than One Pronoun
Some people may identify with more than one pronoun or don’t identify with any pronoun at all. There’s different reasons for that, I feel we should all respect each other’s reasons and use the pronoun they prefer to be called.
With folks using more than one pronoun, you can alternate between the pronouns when you’re talking with them. It can be challenging in the beginning but it’s definitely something we should all get used to.
For example, Luna pronouns are “she/her/they/them”. You met Luna in a dog park, their dog was playing around and it was so cute. You talked a bit with them and you both were having such a good time that you invited her to have a coffee next week.
How to Use Neopronouns
According to Wikipedia, neopronouns are a category of neologistic English third-person personal pronouns beyond “he”, “she”, “they”, “one”, and “it”. Neopronouns are preferred by some non-binary individuals who feel that neopronouns provide options to reflect their gender identity more accurately than conventional pronouns.
For example, a neopronoun can be a word created to serve as a pronoun without expressing gender, like “ze” and “ze”.
Important Lesson
In the end of the day we might make mistakes, the most important lesson is to apologize and correct yourself. Show to the other person you respect them, and correct any mispronunciation. If you don’t know how to do it, the best way is to always ask the person how they’d like to be called.
Additional Reading
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