An

Introduction
TO PRONOUNS
Friday, Feb 18
10-11am
to ki ya sdi
 An

Introduction
TO PRONOUNS
Relevant Vocabulary
Gender Identity - the internal perception of one’s gender, including
how they label themselves; common identity labels include man,
woman, genderqueer, trans*, and more; often confused with
biological sex, or sex assigned at birth

Gender Expression – the external display of one’s gender, through a

combination of dress, demeanor, social behavior, and other factors,
generally made sense of on scales of masculinity and femininity

Transgender- a person whose personal sense of gender

does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth
 The
What language should I use
when talking about pronouns?
preferred pronouns personal pronouns

Swap

gender-neutral pronouns
with non-binary pronouns
 What are personal pronouns and why
are they important?
Personal pronouns are used in place of a name to refer to people
Common personal pronouns include he/him/his and she/her/hers
Typically used when talking about someone in the third person
Using someone's correct pronouns shows respect and creates inclusive environments
We use pronouns all the time, we just want to make sure we're being intentional
 What about neo-pronouns?
Neo-pronouns are any set of singular third person pronouns that are not
officially recognized in the language they are used in, typically created
with the intent of being a gender inclusive pronoun set

examples of neo-pronouns include ze/zir, xe/xem, fae/faer, etc.

Are pronouns the same
thing as gender?
Pronouns ≠ Gender
Anyone, of any gender, can use any pronouns

For example, just because someone identifies as a man, does

not mean that person uses he/him pronouns
 SCENARIO:
You are leading an on campus service event when your friend comes up and
introduces you to Jay, who is going to be working with you. You are going to
have to introduce Jay to the group in a bit, but you don't know what pronouns
Jay uses. What do you do?
SO HOW DO I KNOW WHAT PRONOUNS
TO USE FOR SOMEONE?
1. Introduce yourself with your pronouns, leaving

room for them to reciprocate

2. Ask the person if they would be comfortable

sharing their pronouns

3. Use the person's name instead of using pronouns

But what if I mess up?
DO apologize quickly
DO correct yourself
DO move on
DO try your best to use the correct pronouns
moving forward
______________
DON'T overly apologize
DON'T make the interaction about you
DON'T get defensive
DON'T pretend like it didn't happen
 dispelling myths
"but wait, the singular they is not grammatically
correct, is it?"

"cisgender people don't have pronouns!"

"I can just figure out someone's pronouns by looking

at them, right?"

"oh, she uses she/they pronouns so I'll just use

she/her all of the time because it's easier for me."

Pronoun Practice
How can I normalize
giving others my
pronouns?
a few ways to display
Add your pronouns to your email signature
Put your pronouns in your Zoom name
Introduce yourself in class with your pronouns
Display your pronouns on social media
Wear a pronoun badge
 Take Aways
personal pronouns are always evolving and they are
here to stay!
Using someone's correct pronouns shows respect and
creates more inclusive environments
If you don't know someone's pronouns, ask
If you make a mistake and use incorrect pronouns
for someone, apologize briefly, correct yourself,
and move on
Practice makes perfect, even if it isn't out loud
Tell others your pronouns, and leave space
for others to tell you their pronouns
Questions?