Why are pronouns important?
13 July 2022
Everyone has pronouns. We use them every day in almost every single interaction we have with other people.
Knowing and using a person’s correct pronouns helps foster inclusivity and create a safe, welcoming environment.
Most people will use pronouns like he/him, she/her, or they/them. Some people prefer to use neo-pronouns, which are a different type of pronoun often used by non-binary or other gender non-conforming people. This can include ey/em, ze/zir, fae/faer, and xe/xem.
Some people might use multiple pronouns, like a combination of she and they. This means you can use them interchangeably when you refer to this person, although it’s nice to use both when you can.
Why should I display them?
Sharing your pronouns on social media profiles and in email signatures is an easy way to inform people of your pronouns, especially if you haven’t met in person. This means people don’t have to guess.
It might seem obvious at first, but it also helps normalise pronoun sharing which can help trans and non-binary people who might identify with genders different to their sex assigned at birth. It can also be useful if you have an ambiguous name like Sam, Alex, or Taylor.
How can I display them?
Displaying your pronouns online is a quick thing to do and it only takes a minute or two but can make a positive impact on the people you communicate with.
Some social media platforms already have a dedicated space for you to display your preferred pronouns but it can be as simple as putting them in your bio. You can do the same with your email signature so peers and colleagues know which pronouns to use.
Some workplaces also allow for pronouns to be included on ID badges.
Putting pronouns on your social media pages or in your email can be as simple as “Pronouns: He/Him” or “My pronouns are they/them”.
We’ve put some bilingual templates together that you can copy and paste:
Pronouns:
Pronouns: He/him
Pronouns: She/her
Pronouns: They/them
Pronouns: Xe/xem
My pronouns are...
My pronouns are he/him
My pronouns are she/her
My pronouns are they/them
My pronouns are Xe/xem