- There has been a recent increase in celebrities openly identifying as non-binary, trans, and gender variant.
- While “they” is the most commonly known gender-neutral pronoun, options like xe, fae, and ve also exist.
- Some individuals, like actor Elliot Page, use multiple pronouns simultaneously, known as “rolling” pronouns.
In recent years, more celebrities have openly identified themselves as non-binary, trans, and gender variant, including Janelle Monáe, Elliot Page, and Kehlani.
According to a Pew Research survey conducted in 2022, there has been an increase in the number of trans and non-binary individuals living openly. Approximately 1.6% of U.S. adults identify as non-binary or trans, and one in five people claim to know someone who doesn’t identify as strictly male or female.
In 2019, Merriam-Webster dictionary declared the singular, gender-neutral pronoun “they” as the word of the year, reflecting the growing awareness and acceptance of gender-neutral pronouns.
Here is a guide to using pronouns correctly.
What pronouns are available aside from ‘she’ and ‘he’?
The standard English pronouns “she” and “he” are widely known and associated with women and men, respectively.
Non-binary individuals, who do not identify as either male or female, can still use these pronouns, but there are also various other gender-neutral pronouns available.
Singularly, they/them pronouns can be used to refer to one person, similar to how people may refer to an unknown person by using the pronoun ‘they’. For example, “I think they will come back for this lost wallet.”
While they/them pronouns are the most commonly known gender-neutral pronouns, other options exist as well.
Fae/faer/faers pronouns (fae is my friend), Xe/xem/xyer pronouns (xe is my teacher), ze/hir/hirs pronouns (ze is my partner), and ve/ver/vis pronouns (ve loves to run) are just a few of the available options.
Although these pronouns can be traced back to 1972, there is evidence that gender-neutral English pronouns emerged as early as the 1700s, according to Dennis Baron, Professor of English at the University of Illinois. They gained wider circulation through platforms like Tumblr in the early 2010s.
The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee explains that the reason numerous pronoun options exist is that there were no official pronouns acknowledging the existence of non-binary individuals for a long time, prompting many people to create their own.
Non-binary, trans, or any gender presentation does not have a singular appearance, so these pronouns can be used by anyone, regardless of their gender identity. Additionally, the use of a pronoun does not determine someone’s gender identity, as some non-binary individuals may use pronouns typically associated with binary genders, such as “she” or “he”.
What if someone prefers ‘rolling’ pronouns?
Some individuals may indicate multiple pronouns in their email signatures, such as he/they. This is because they use “rolling pronouns”.
People may use multiple pronouns for various reasons. Gender-fluid individuals may choose different pronouns based on how they feel about their identity on different days.
Others may prefer others to alternate pronouns within a sentence, such as “She is upset because their mom didn’t call” (referring to the same person as both she and they).
Given that gender is a spectrum and individuals may feel multiple or no genders, using rolling pronouns may feel more comfortable than using singular pronouns.
Why are pronouns significant?
Respecting someone’s pronouns is crucial as it acknowledges their humanity.
Transgender and non-binary
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