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Using Gender Pronouns

Pronouns are something most people do not think about. However, pronouns are very important to many transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary people as it affirms their gender.

 

What are pronouns?

A pronoun is a word used to replace a noun. We use gender pronouns (he/she/they) most often when referring to someone without using their name. For example, ‘he’ is used most often to refer to men and ‘she’ is used most often to refer to women. However, some people use gender neutral pronouns such as ‘they’ or a combination of pronouns such as ‘he’ and ‘they’ interchangeably.

Gender describes a person’s socially constructed roles, behaviours and expressions. This is different to a person’s sex which is related to biological differences (e.g. genitalia)– a person’s gender may or may not be related to their sex assigned at birth.

Why are they important?

Sometimes assumptions are made about the gender of another person based on an appearance or name. These assumptions are then applied to forms of address used to refer to a person. This can be harmful to transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary people as these assumptions show that people are expected to look a certain way to validate their gender.

If we normalise displaying our own pronouns, we can make the workplace a more inclusive place for everyone. 

How can I use pronouns?

You can incorporate gender pronouns in the workplace, with these simple strategies:

  • Edit your email signature to include your pronouns
  • Use verbal introductions to clarify your pronouns
  • Add your pronouns to your Zoom and/or Microsoft Teams name
  • Ask people what pronouns they use

Commonly used pronouns

  • She/her/hers
  • He/him/his
  • They/them/theirs
  • Ze/zir/zers
  • Xe/xem/xir
  • Some people prefer to be addressed by their name alone

Help I made a mistake!

Mistakes are inevitable but try not to excessively apologise as this tends to centre your needs and feelings over the person who’s been misgendered. Instead, correct yourself (even if the person you’re talking about isn’t around!) and make a mental note to be more careful next time. Don’t worry - making mistakes is ok and sometimes getting used to changes like new pronouns can take time. But with a bit of practice and commitment, you’ll find it gets much easier. This is the opportunity to grow and learn!

Think about the ways in which language is often gendered. Instead of saying “Hey guys” or “Dear ladies and gentlemen”, try something more inclusive like “Hello everyone/ folks/ team”.

Glossary 

Transgender (trans): people whose gender is different to from the sex they were assigned at birth. This includes trans men, trans women and non-binary people.

Cisgender (cis): people whose gender is the same as the one they were assigned at birth.

Gender non-conforming (GNC): people who challenge and subvert stereotypes about how they look and/or act based on the gender they were assigned at birth.

Non-binary: people who are outside the gender binary. This can include people who are neither exclusively woman or man or is in between, both or otherwise.

Two-Spirit (2S): Indigenous  Americans and Canadians people who identify as having both a masculine and feminine spirit. It’s an umbrella term to describe sexual, gender and/or spiritual identity.