{"id":22303,"date":"2023-06-08T16:13:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T16:13:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/?p=22303"},"modified":"2023-06-27T15:42:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T15:42:13","slug":"gender-inclusive-language-and-personal-pronoun-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/gender-inclusive-language-and-personal-pronoun-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"A Caregiver\u2019s Guide to Gender-Inclusive Language"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"is-style-cnvs-paragraph-callout has-medium-font-size\">What are pronouns and why do they matter? We talk about pronouns, gender-inclusive language, and how to be more inclusive.<\/p><p><em>Author Jen Bell  |  Reviewed  by Mason Dunn<\/em><\/p><p>You may or may not have seen people adding their personal pronouns to their name tags, email signature, bylines, and more. Personal pronouns have become much more than just another way to refer to people, but a way to affirm one\u2019s gender identity.&nbsp;<\/p><p>So where do you start? And, how do you use these pronouns respectfully and correctly?<\/p><h2 id=\"what-are-pronouns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are Pronouns?<\/h2><p>Pronouns are the words we use to refer to another person, such as he, she, or they. Some people use specific pronouns, any pronouns, or none at all. Some people prefer that their name is used instead of a pronoun.&nbsp;<\/p><p>If you\u2019re not sure about someone\u2019s pronouns, ask them! It may sound weird or too overt to ask \u201c<em>What are your pronouns?<\/em>\u201d so instead say, \u201c<em>How should I refer to you?<\/em>\u201d or \u201c<em>How would you like me to refer to you?<\/em>\u201d This way, the person can decide if they want to tell you their pronouns or not.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"BLOOM Presents \/\/ Pronouns\" width=\"1160\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/E6vPKPJXIfo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure><h3 id=\"why-pronouns-are-important\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Pronouns Are Important<\/h3><p>Pronouns are an important part of many people\u2019s gender identity. If someone uses the wrong pronoun to refer to someone else, whether accidentally or intentionally, they are misgendering that person \u2014 they are labeling them as a gender other than the one they identify with. Misgendering someone can cause them to feel stigmatized and self-conscious, and it can also put them in danger.&nbsp;<\/p><p>When you misgender someone who is transgender, you also run the risk of outing them to other people \u2014 letting other people know they are trans. Outing a trans person is not only disrespectful, it can put them in danger of harassment and discrimination.<\/p><p>Transgender people are the only ones who have the right to tell others they are trans, if they wish to. It\u2019s never OK to tell people if someone is transgender or not, unless you have their explicit consent.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><h2 id=\"examples-of-common-pronouns-how-to-use-them\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of Common Pronouns &amp; How to Use Them<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1160\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-1160x559.webp\" alt=\"Common Pronouns and how to use them chart.\" class=\"wp-image-22306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-1160x559.webp 1160w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-800x386.webp 800w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-320x154.webp 320w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-1536x741.webp 1536w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-120x58.webp 120w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-90x43.webp 90w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-560x270.webp 560w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart-600x289.webp 600w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/PronounsChart.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/figure><p>Some people use different pronouns, or a combination of various pronouns. Some common pronouns include:<\/p><p><strong>She\/Her\/Hers<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Example: <strong><em>She<\/em><\/strong><em> is hungry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example:<strong> <\/strong><em>I\u2019m meeting <\/em><strong><em>her<\/em><\/strong><em> after school.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example: <em>The book is <\/em><strong><em>hers<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>They\/Them\/Theirs<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Example: <strong><em>They <\/em><\/strong><em>are hungry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example:<strong> <\/strong><em>I\u2019m meeting <\/em><strong><em>them<\/em><\/strong><em> after school.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example: <em>The book is <\/em><strong><em>theirs<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Xe\/Xem\/Xyrs<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Example: <strong><em>Xe <\/em><\/strong><em>is hungry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example:<strong> <\/strong><em>I\u2019m meeting <\/em><strong><em>xem <\/em><\/strong><em>after school.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example: <em>The book is <\/em><strong><em>xyrs<\/em><\/strong><em>. (pronounces \u201czirs\u201d)<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Ze\/Zem\/Zirs<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Example: <strong><em>Zee <\/em><\/strong><em>is hungry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example:<strong> <\/strong><em>I\u2019m meeting <\/em><strong><em>zem <\/em><\/strong><em>after school.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example: <em>The book is <\/em><strong><em>zirs<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>He\/Him\/His<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Example: <strong><em>He <\/em><\/strong><em>is hungry.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example:<strong> <\/strong><em>I\u2019m meeting <\/em><strong><em>him <\/em><\/strong><em>after school.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Example: <em>The book is <\/em><strong><em>his<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p>To learn more about new pronouns or \u201cneopronouns\u201d check out the website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mypronouns.org\/neopronouns\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mypronouns.org<\/a>.<\/p><h3 id=\"the-singular-they-pronouns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Singular \u201cThey\u201d Pronouns<\/h3><p>Did you know that \u201cthey\u201d has been used as a singular pronoun in the English language for centuries? If you\u2019re finding it difficult to use \u201cthey\u201d as a singular pronoun, don\u2019t worry, all it takes is practice!&nbsp;<\/p><p><strong>Here\u2019s an example of how to use they\/them in a sentence:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p><p>Someone left<em> their<\/em> water bottle on the field.<\/p><h2 id=\"sharing-pronouns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sharing Pronouns<\/h2><p>It\u2019s not possible to know someone\u2019s pronouns just by looking at them. Sharing pronouns helps to create a welcoming space for people of all genders, and prevents people from making assumptions about anyone\u2019s identity, or which pronouns they use.<\/p><p>When we tell people our pronouns, we let them know how we want to be seen and addressed \u2014 and we give them the opportunity to tell us how they identify.&nbsp;<\/p><p>You can make your pronouns visible by adding them to your nametag, email signature, social media bio, or by wearing pronoun jewelry or clothing.&nbsp;<\/p><p>Here are some helpful ways to invite people to share their pronouns:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>\u201cHey, I\u2019m Jesse and my pronouns are they\/them. It\u2019s nice to meet you!\u201d&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n<li>\u201cMy name is Sean. What\u2019s your name and how would you like me to refer to you?<\/li><\/ul><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1160\" height=\"387\" src=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-1160x387.webp\" alt=\"Man and woman meeting, shaking hands, introducing their pronouns\" class=\"wp-image-22307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-1160x387.webp 1160w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-800x267.webp 800w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-320x107.webp 320w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-1536x512.webp 1536w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-120x40.webp 120w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-90x30.webp 90w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-560x187.webp 560w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content-600x200.webp 600w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/CG_OfficeMarketing_Content.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/figure><h2 id=\"what-if-i-dont-want-to-share-my-pronouns\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if I Don\u2019t Want to Share My Pronouns?<\/h2><p>If your tween or teen does not want to share their pronouns, that\u2019s okay! Not everyone feels comfortable or ready to share their pronouns. They should not feel pressured to share their pronouns. It should be presented as a choice for those who want to and feel comfortable with sharing their gender identity.&nbsp;<\/p><p>If they are questioning their gender identity, anxious about others\u2019 reactions or being outed, afraid of bullying, or unsure if they are ready to try a new pronoun, let them know it is okay to ask people to refer to them by their name.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 id=\"what-to-do-if-i-use-the-wrong-pronoun-by-mistake\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Do if I Use The Wrong Pronoun By Mistake<\/h2><p>Everyone makes mistakes, but it\u2019s important to take responsibility for your actions. When someone takes the time to correct you about their pronouns, they are doing you a favor. They\u2019re letting you know how they want to be addressed, and showing you they see you as someone who wants to get it right.&nbsp;<\/p><p>Say sorry or \u201cthanks for correcting me\u201d and move on. Immediately begin using the correct pronouns. Avoid asking the other person for forgiveness or making a scene about how guilty you feel. You don\u2019t want to end up making the person you misgendered have to console you.&nbsp;<\/p><p><strong>Here\u2019s an example of what to do if you accidentally use the wrong pronoun:<\/strong><\/p><p><em>\u201cI want to introduce you to Tina, she\u2019s our new Accountant.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p><p>(Your coworker reminds you that Tina uses they\/them pronouns)<\/p><p><em>\u201cSorry, I want you to meet Tina. They are our new Accountant.\u201d&nbsp;<\/em><\/p><h2 id=\"what-is-gendered-language\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Gendered Language?<\/h2><p>When we use phrases like, \u201c<em>hey guys<\/em>\u201d or \u201c<em>ladies and gentlemen<\/em>&#8221; to address a group, we\u2019re using gendered language.&nbsp;<\/p><p>These phrases, albeit unintentional at times, send signals about who is and isn\u2019t included. If we refer to someone whose pronouns we don\u2019t know using words like, \u201cgirl, boy, man, woman,\u201d we run the risk of misgendering them and potentially outing them as transgender.&nbsp;<\/p><p>Gender neutral language enables us to refer to nonbinary people and talk about people without specifying their gender. We can address a group in a way that makes everyone feel included. This is good for us all \u2014 no matter our gender.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1160\" height=\"860\" src=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-1160x860.webp\" alt=\"Replacements for gendered language chart.\" class=\"wp-image-22308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-1160x860.webp 1160w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-800x593.webp 800w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-320x237.webp 320w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-1536x1139.webp 1536w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-120x90.webp 120w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-90x68.webp 90w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-560x415.webp 560w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy-600x445.webp 600w, https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2023\/06\/ReplacementLanguageChart_Content-copy.webp 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/figure><h2 id=\"tips-for-using-gender-inclusive-language\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips for Using Gender-Inclusive Language<\/h2><p>Try making these swaps for more gender-inclusive language:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Instead of saying, <strong><em>Sir\/ Madam\/ Ma\u2019am\/ Miss\/ Ms.\/ Mrs.\/ Mr.<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>say the person\u2019s first name or <strong><em>Mx<\/em><\/strong> (pronounced \u201cMix\u201d)<\/li>\n\n<li>Instead of saying, <em>The <\/em><strong><em>girl<\/em><\/strong><em> over there<\/em> say <em>That <\/em><strong><em>person<\/em><\/strong><em> over there with the red jacket.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Instead of saying, <strong><em>ladies<\/em><\/strong><em> and <\/em><strong><em>gentlemen, guys, girls, boys, brothers<\/em><\/strong><em> and <\/em><strong><em>sisters<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>say <strong><em>friends, folks, all, y\u2019all, everyone, team, people, students, crew, peeps, pals<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Instead of saying, <strong><em>boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, husband<\/em><\/strong><em> <\/em>say<em> <\/em><strong><em>partner, spouse, paramour, love, date, significant other, theyfriend<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li>\n\n<li>Instead of saying, <strong><em>mom, dad, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter<\/em><\/strong> say <strong><em>parent, child, sibling, youth, kid, grandparent, cousin, relative, caregiver<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is a personal pronoun and why is it important? BLOOM looks into this, gender-inclusive language, and how to be more inclusive about gender.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":204,"featured_media":22304,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"powerkit_post_featured":[],"coauthors":[341,364],"class_list":{"0":"post-22303","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gender-identity-sexual-orientation"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22303","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/204"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22303"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22303\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22303"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22303"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22303"},{"taxonomy":"powerkit_post_featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/powerkit_post_featured?post=22303"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bloomforall.com\/parent\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=22303"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}