Pronouns

Pronouns

(noun)

The words by which one is referred to, whether they be “he”, “she”, “they”, “it”, “ze”, “ey”, or any other. It is best to always ask someone their pronouns if possible and to not make assumptions about a person’s pronouns. Always be sure to respect a person’s pronouns by using them and correcting yourself when you slip up. Everyone has pronouns, not just trans people. Anyone of any gender can use any pronouns they choose. While some genders tend to use certain pronouns more often, pronouns are just sounds we make to refer to a person and don’t necessarily denote a specific gender.

It’s important to remember that colonialism and binarism forced the abandonment of indigenous and cultural language around gender, including pronouns that are now lost. Pronouns other than he/she/they are often called “neopronouns” because they’re newer, but we at the Primer find the distinction unnecessary and detrimental to the normalization of different pronouns.

e.g. KJ always included their pronouns when introducing themself to someone new.

Further reading to gain expanded context:

FAQ about Pronouns & Trans People | Trans Talk

What You’re Saying When You Ignore Someone’s Pronouns | Let’s Queer Things Up

All Your Questions About Gender-Neutral Pronouns Answered | Teen Vogue

Why “Les” Is an Important Gender Neutral Pronoun In Spanish | Remezcla

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