Pronouns Are For Life, Not Just For Pronoun Day...
Last week, we backed a Liverpool-led campaign as part of International Pronoun Day which aimed to respect, share and educate about personal pronouns. Ever since, our Mel Underwood has been wondering how we can do more on the other 364 days a year to support and spread the word about respecting people’s pronouns.
Personal pronouns are the words people use to describe their gender identity. Pronouns like "me, myself and I" are how people talk about themselves, and pronouns like "you, she, he and they" are some pronouns that people use to talk about others.
A person's pronouns are the third-person singular pronouns that they would like others to use for them. Personal pronouns are used to convey a person's gender identity and don't necessarily align with the sex a person was assigned at birth.
Why does it matter?
I spoke to Imogen Christie (she/her) a fab Liverpool-based LGBTQ+ activist who rallied around to get individuals and organisations behind International Pronoun Day. Imogen said: “The use of pronouns is becoming increasingly important and it is clear that language of gender identity is firmly rooted in inclusion and the right to self-identify. The use of pronouns is one of the ways that provides a segway to understanding that gender identity is a spectrum with many variants. If we can collectively let go of and repel any unconscious bias that is imported from a heteronormative and binary view of the world, some of the reasons for using pronouns becomes crystal clear.”
Imogen sees International Pronoun Day not just as a one off event, but rather an opportunity to promote and a be part of that wider and ongoing conversation. She added, “The signs, symbols and meanings that have historically been used as markers for gender identity no longer have any place or any relevance and are becoming unsafe as ways of navigating through personal identities. It is not just about creating spaces that are safe for us [LGBTQ+ people] to occupy it is also about using language that allows a freedom of expression regarding gender identity and is one of the necessary ways that says you’re not excluded for just being your authentic self.”
And how?
You may think to yourself, I want to be respectful but I find it awkward when I am unsure of someone’s pronoun or you may be nervous about getting someone’s pronoun incorrect. The answer is simple; ASK. By asking what someone’s pronoun is it will show that you care about how they identify and what makes them feel comfortable. Here are a few of ways to normalise and introduce pronouns into everyday situations:
When introducing yourself, include your own pronoun which may encourage others to follow suit.
Holding an event or meeting? Ask folks to write their pronouns alongside their names on name badges and to share when getting to know each other.
Add your pronoun to your email signature; it not only educates other in the use of pronouns, but shows others that you are going to respect their pronouns.
Instead of addressing groups of people with binary language such as ‘ladies and gentlemen’, try more inclusive alternatives such as ‘folks’, ‘pals’ or ‘everyone’.
So What Next?
As with any change in habit, being mindful of these points may take a bit of getting used to and you may slip up from time to time (we all do!) , but it causes you no harm to be actively making an effort and it will make another person feel acknowledged and valid. I know I’m going to be checking myself more often and I’ve already changed my email signature too!
