What are Gender Pronouns? Why do they matter?

We have all been using terms like He/She all our lives as these were a few gender pronouns that we were aware of. However, over the years usage of gender pronouns has drastically changed. People have changed the way of using gender pronouns depending on their acceptability and comfort. Therefore, we have seen an emergence of pronouns like he/him, she/her, and they/them in the past few years. 

Referring to someone with incorrect gender pronouns makes a lot of difference in their life. Using correct pronouns makes others feel respected and valued, and makes them feel part of the community. In this blog, we will be talking about some of the primarily used gender pronouns and why is it important to use the correct ones. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get right into it. 

What are Gender Pronouns?

The sex of a person is predecided, which a person gets at the time of birth. However, irrespective of the sex one is born with, they still have a right to decide their gender. gender is the identity of a person they like to be acknowledged with. Over the course of time, people have changed the way they perceive their gender and hence, have started using gender pronouns that suits their personality and are comfortable with. However, one important thing to note here is that it is not necessary that gender matches the sex of a person. It entirely depends on the person to decide what they want to use and be called. Let’s take a look at some of the types of pronouns widely used throughout the world. 

Types of Gender Pronouns

Now that we know what gender pronouns are, it's time to shed some light on some of the widely used pronouns in the world. There are some commonly used pronouns that are in use for a long time now. 

1. She/Her pronouns - First on our list of gender pronouns are She and Her pronouns, which have found their way to people's Instagram and Linkedin accounts. This is one of the gender pronouns that are most commonly used by people and is gender specific. A lot of people are coming out in favor of using this pronoun while leaving behind their birth identification. However, often she and her pronouns are misunderstood as feminine pronouns but, nowadays even some nonbinary people are also using this as their identification label. Well, this completely depends on the person irrespective of their sex. Hence, one should not restrict the use of she and her pronouns to that of females. It can be used by both males, females, and transgender. 

2. He/Him pronouns - Another commonly used gender pronoun is he and him. This is a gender-specific pronoun basically used for men and males however, some non-binary people also use which is completely based upon their level of comfort and choice. 

3. They/Them pronouns - Apart from gender-specific pronouns, there is one more category of pronouns that has slowly made its way into the lives of people; nonbinary pronouns. Don’t get confused we aren’t talking about a room full of people, nonbinary pronouns are used by a single person only. Nonbinary pronouns are also called as gender-neutral pronouns. Not just this, there is more to they/them pronouns, it also includes ze (pronounced as zee) in place of she/her and hir (pronounced as here) in place of he/him. Recently Demi Lovato made headlines on Twitter by coming out as a proud user of non-binary pronouns. Let’s take a look at the tweet - 

“Today is a day I'm so happy to share more of my life with you all I am proud to let you know that I identify as non-binary & will officially be changing my pronouns to they/them moving forward” - Demi Lovato. 

Do you know - 56% of Generation Z, one of the most diverse generations in the US know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns? Learn more about the difference between in our blog on GenZ vs Millennials difference.

Why does using the right Gender Pronouns matter?

Now, that we know what is gender pronouns and their types, you must be thinking why does it matter to call someone using pronouns and how does it matter? So, let’s jump on one of the most important topics “Why do gender pronouns matter?”

gender pronouns, these two debatable words can give rise to a lot of controversy throughout the world. Hence, it is of great importance to use these words responsibly. These days organizations and workplaces have come out in support of their employees using pronouns instead of their legal names. These self-identified names are of significant value for the user thus, it is important to be sure of one’s identity and use their pronouns accordingly. 

Nobody likes to be misnamed or misgendered, it may leave a person feeling disrespected, invalidation, and even dismissed. This can impact a person's mental health and may make them feel stressed out and not valued. It is important for people in higher positions to acknowledge the seriousness of using correct pronouns as coming from them may help others to understand and value others' identities. 

Using correct pronouns and names cut down the risk of depression and suicide. Studies have shown that people who could use their chosen name and pronoun experience 71% fewer symptoms of severe depression, a 34 % decrease in reported suicidal thoughts, and a 65% decrease in suicide attempts. 

7 Tips for getting Gender Pronouns right

Now, you must be wondering “How will I know what gender pronoun the other person is using, right?” Don’t worry, below are some tips to learn about a person’s pronouns. Thank us later!

1. Assumptions are a big no

While meeting a person for the first time, don’t assume their pronouns based on their appearance. You can’t understand what the person is based on how they look and how they dress and behave. As we have covered above, irrespective of a person’s sex one can use gender pronouns as per their comfort. 

2. Always ask

That’s what we have learned throughout our lives that when in doubt simply ask. Most of your doubts will be cleared upon asking rather than wondering that the gender pronoun will be revealed to you, it is always good to simply ask the person “What are your preferred pronouns?” That's easy, right?

3. Share your preferred pronouns

Let others be aware of your preferred gender pronouns, one easy way of doing that is using social media. Make your bio universal, this can help other people in sharing their preferred pronouns as well. 

4. Don’t shy away from apologizing

Mistakes are part of one’s life but what matters is how you take them. If by mistake you address someone using the wrong pronouns then apologize and use the correct pronouns next time. 

5. Use gender-neutral language

Often, people start a conversation referring to the crowd as “ladies and gentlemen,’’ or “boys and girls’’ instead of using binary-gendered language to address a group of people as “everyone,” “colleagues,” “friends,” or “students’’. 

6. Lend a helping hand

If you find someone using incorrect pronouns then help them in understanding how to use pronouns correctly. 

7. Practice makes men perfect 

It’s okay if you don’t know how to use pronouns, it can be a little difficult to use it. However, with little practice and effort, you will become habitual in using pronouns. 

With the increasing number of people using gender pronouns, it has become a need of the hour to understand its importance and acknowledge its impact as well. Addressing people with the right pronouns not only makes them feel more comfortable but acceptable as well. We need to ensure that people feel safe and secure in using their pronouns. Also check our blog on why are LGBTQ rights important which also give you a brief idea on gender pronouns.