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Pride Month

A guide to gender identity terms.

Laurel Wamsley

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara, a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity." Kaz Fantone for NPR hide caption

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara, a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity."

Issues of equality and acceptance of transgender and nonbinary people — along with challenges to their rights — have become a major topic in the headlines. These issues can involve words and ideas and identities that are new to some.

That's why we've put together a glossary of terms relating to gender identity. Our goal is to help people communicate accurately and respectfully with one another.

Proper use of gender identity terms, including pronouns, is a crucial way to signal courtesy and acceptance. Alex Schmider , associate director of transgender representation at GLAAD, compares using someone's correct pronouns to pronouncing their name correctly – "a way of respecting them and referring to them in a way that's consistent and true to who they are."

Glossary of gender identity terms

This guide was created with help from GLAAD . We also referenced resources from the National Center for Transgender Equality , the Trans Journalists Association , NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists , Human Rights Campaign , InterAct and the American Psychological Association . This guide is not exhaustive, and is Western and U.S.-centric. Other cultures may use different labels and have other conceptions of gender.

One thing to note: Language changes. Some of the terms now in common usage are different from those used in the past to describe similar ideas, identities and experiences. Some people may continue to use terms that are less commonly used now to describe themselves, and some people may use different terms entirely. What's important is recognizing and respecting people as individuals.

Jump to a term: Sex, gender , gender identity , gender expression , cisgender , transgender , nonbinary , agender , gender-expansive , gender transition , gender dysphoria , sexual orientation , intersex

Jump to Pronouns : questions and answers

Sex refers to a person's biological status and is typically assigned at birth, usually on the basis of external anatomy. Sex is typically categorized as male, female or intersex.

Gender is often defined as a social construct of norms, behaviors and roles that varies between societies and over time. Gender is often categorized as male, female or nonbinary.

Gender identity is one's own internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither or both. Unlike gender expression, gender identity is not outwardly visible to others.

For most people, gender identity aligns with the sex assigned at birth, the American Psychological Association notes. For transgender people, gender identity differs in varying degrees from the sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression is how a person presents gender outwardly, through behavior, clothing, voice or other perceived characteristics. Society identifies these cues as masculine or feminine, although what is considered masculine or feminine changes over time and varies by culture.

Cisgender, or simply cis , is an adjective that describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transgender, or simply trans, is an adjective used to describe someone whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth. A transgender man, for example, is someone who was listed as female at birth but whose gender identity is male.

Cisgender and transgender have their origins in Latin-derived prefixes of "cis" and "trans" — cis, meaning "on this side of" and trans, meaning "across from" or "on the other side of." Both adjectives are used to describe experiences of someone's gender identity.

Nonbinary is a term that can be used by people who do not describe themselves or their genders as fitting into the categories of man or woman. A range of terms are used to refer to these experiences; nonbinary and genderqueer are among the terms that are sometimes used.

Agender is an adjective that can describe a person who does not identify as any gender.

Gender-expansive is an adjective that can describe someone with a more flexible gender identity than might be associated with a typical gender binary.

Gender transition is a process a person may take to bring themselves and/or their bodies into alignment with their gender identity. It's not just one step. Transitioning can include any, none or all of the following: telling one's friends, family and co-workers; changing one's name and pronouns; updating legal documents; medical interventions such as hormone therapy; or surgical intervention, often called gender confirmation surgery.

Gender dysphoria refers to psychological distress that results from an incongruence between one's sex assigned at birth and one's gender identity. Not all trans people experience dysphoria, and those who do may experience it at varying levels of intensity.

Gender dysphoria is a diagnosis listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Some argue that such a diagnosis inappropriately pathologizes gender incongruence, while others contend that a diagnosis makes it easier for transgender people to access necessary medical treatment.

Sexual orientation refers to the enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or other genders, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and straight orientations.

People don't need to have had specific sexual experiences to know their own sexual orientation. They need not have had any sexual experience at all. They need not be in a relationship, dating or partnered with anyone for their sexual orientation to be validated. For example, if a bisexual woman is partnered with a man, that does not mean she is not still bisexual.

Sexual orientation is separate from gender identity. As GLAAD notes , "Transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer. For example, a person who transitions from male to female and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a straight woman. A person who transitions from female to male and is attracted solely to men would typically identify as a gay man."

Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe people with differences in reproductive anatomy, chromosomes or hormones that don't fit typical definitions of male and female.

Intersex can refer to a number of natural variations, some of them laid out by InterAct . Being intersex is not the same as being nonbinary or transgender, which are terms typically related to gender identity.

The Picture Show

Nonbinary photographer documents gender dysphoria through a queer lens, pronouns: questions and answers.

What is the role of pronouns in acknowledging someone's gender identity?

Everyone has pronouns that are used when referring to them – and getting those pronouns right is not exclusively a transgender issue.

"Pronouns are basically how we identify ourselves apart from our name. It's how someone refers to you in conversation," says Mary Emily O'Hara , a communications officer at GLAAD. "And when you're speaking to people, it's a really simple way to affirm their identity."

"So, for example, using the correct pronouns for trans and nonbinary youth is a way to let them know that you see them, you affirm them, you accept them and to let them know that they're loved during a time when they're really being targeted by so many discriminatory anti-trans state laws and policies," O'Hara says.

"It's really just about letting someone know that you accept their identity. And it's as simple as that."

Getting the words right is about respect and accuracy, says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Kaz Fantone for NPR hide caption

Getting the words right is about respect and accuracy, says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

What's the right way to find out a person's pronouns?

Start by giving your own – for example, "My pronouns are she/her."

"If I was introducing myself to someone, I would say, 'I'm Rodrigo. I use him pronouns. What about you?' " says Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen , deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality.

O'Hara says, "It may feel awkward at first, but eventually it just becomes another one of those get-to-know-you questions."

Should people be asking everyone their pronouns? Or does it depend on the setting?

Knowing each other's pronouns helps you be sure you have accurate information about another person.

How a person appears in terms of gender expression "doesn't indicate anything about what their gender identity is," GLAAD's Schmider says. By sharing pronouns, "you're going to get to know someone a little better."

And while it can be awkward at first, it can quickly become routine.

Heng-Lehtinen notes that the practice of stating one's pronouns at the bottom of an email or during introductions at a meeting can also relieve some headaches for people whose first names are less common or gender ambiguous.

"Sometimes Americans look at a name and are like, 'I have no idea if I'm supposed to say he or she for this name' — not because the person's trans, but just because the name is of a culture that you don't recognize and you genuinely do not know. So having the pronouns listed saves everyone the headache," Heng-Lehtinen says. "It can be really, really quick once you make a habit of it. And I think it saves a lot of embarrassment for everybody."

Might some people be uncomfortable sharing their pronouns in a public setting?

Schmider says for cisgender people, sharing their pronouns is generally pretty easy – so long as they recognize that they have pronouns and know what they are. For others, it could be more difficult to share their pronouns in places where they don't know people.

But there are still benefits in sharing pronouns, he says. "It's an indication that they understand that gender expression does not equal gender identity, that you're not judging people just based on the way they look and making assumptions about their gender beyond what you actually know about them."

How is "they" used as a singular pronoun?

"They" is already commonly used as a singular pronoun when we are talking about someone, and we don't know who they are, O'Hara notes. Using they/them pronouns for someone you do know simply represents "just a little bit of a switch."

"You're just asking someone to not act as if they don't know you, but to remove gendered language from their vocabulary when they're talking about you," O'Hara says.

"I identify as nonbinary myself and I appear feminine. People often assume that my pronouns are she/her. So they will use those. And I'll just gently correct them and say, hey, you know what, my pronouns are they/them just FYI, for future reference or something like that," they say.

O'Hara says their family and friends still struggle with getting the pronouns right — and sometimes O'Hara struggles to remember others' pronouns, too.

"In my community, in the queer community, with a lot of trans and nonbinary people, we all frequently remind each other or remind ourselves. It's a sort of constant mindfulness where you are always catching up a little bit," they say.

"You might know someone for 10 years, and then they let you know their pronouns have changed. It's going to take you a little while to adjust, and that's fine. It's OK to make those mistakes and correct yourself, and it's OK to gently correct someone else."

What if I make a mistake and misgender someone, or use the wrong words?

Simply apologize and move on.

"I think it's perfectly natural to not know the right words to use at first. We're only human. It takes any of us some time to get to know a new concept," Heng-Lehtinen says. "The important thing is to just be interested in continuing to learn. So if you mess up some language, you just say, 'Oh, I'm so sorry,' correct yourself and move forward. No need to make it any more complicated than that. Doing that really simple gesture of apologizing quickly and moving on shows the other person that you care. And that makes a really big difference."

Why are pronouns typically given in the format "she/her" or "they/them" rather than just "she" or "they"?

The different iterations reflect that pronouns change based on how they're used in a sentence. And the "he/him" format is actually shorter than the previously common "he/him/his" format.

"People used to say all three and then it got down to two," Heng-Lehtinen laughs. He says staff at his organization was recently wondering if the custom will eventually shorten to just one pronoun. "There's no real rule about it. It's absolutely just been habit," he says.

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But he notes a benefit of using he/him and she/her: He and she rhyme. "If somebody just says he or she, I could very easily mishear that and then still get it wrong."

What does it mean if a person uses the pronouns "he/they" or "she/they"?

"That means that the person uses both pronouns, and you can alternate between those when referring to them. So either pronoun would be fine — and ideally mix it up, use both. It just means that they use both pronouns that they're listing," Heng-Lehtinen says.

Schmider says it depends on the person: "For some people, they don't mind those pronouns being interchanged for them. And for some people, they are using one specific pronoun in one context and another set of pronouns in another, dependent on maybe safety or comfortability."

The best approach, Schmider says, is to listen to how people refer to themselves.

Why might someone's name be different than what's listed on their ID?

Heng-Lehtinen notes that there's a perception when a person comes out as transgender, they change their name and that's that. But the reality is a lot more complicated and expensive when it comes to updating your name on government documents.

"It is not the same process as changing your last name when you get married. There is bizarrely a separate set of rules for when you are changing your name in marriage versus changing your name for any other reason. And it's more difficult in the latter," he says.

"When you're transgender, you might not be able to update all of your government IDs, even though you want to," he says. "I've been out for over a decade. I still have not been able to update all of my documents because the policies are so onerous. I've been able to update my driver's license, Social Security card and passport, but I cannot update my birth certificate."

"Just because a transgender person doesn't have their authentic name on their ID doesn't mean it's not the name that they really use every day," he advises. "So just be mindful to refer to people by the name they really use regardless of their driver's license."

NPR's Danielle Nett contributed to this report.

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What are gender pronouns and why is it important to use the right ones?

Senior Lecturer in Psychology. Clinical Psychologist, Victoria University

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Glen Hosking (he/him) does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Gender pronouns are the terms people choose to refer to themselves that reflect their gender identity. These might be he/him, she/her or gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them.

Knowing and using a person’s correct pronouns fosters inclusion, makes people feel respected and valued, and affirms their gender identity.

The difference between sex and gender

While people may use the terms sex and gender interchangeably, they mean different things.

Sex refers to the physical differences between people who are female, male, or intersex. A person typically has their sex assigned at birth based on physiological characteristics , including their genitalia and chromosome composition.

This is distinct from gender, which is a social construct and reflects the social and cultural role of sex within a given community. People often develop their gender identity and gender expression in response to their environment.

While gender has been defined as binary in Western culture, gender is on a broad spectrum; a person may identify at any point within this spectrum or outside of it entirely. Gender is not neatly divided along the binary lines of “man” and “woman”.

Read more: The difference between sex and gender, and why both matter in health research

People may identify with genders that are different from sex assigned at birth, some people do not identify with any gender, while others identify with multiple genders. These identities may include transgender, nonbinary, or gender-neutral.

Only the person themself can determine what their gender identity is, and this can change over time.

Gender neutral pronouns

People who identify outside of a gender binary most often use non-gendered or nonbinary pronouns that are not gender specific. These include they/them/their used in the singular, ze (pronounced “zee”) in place of she/he, and hir (pronounced “here”) in place of his/him/her.

Everyone has the right to use the gender pronouns that match their personal identity. These pronouns may or may not match their gender expression, such as how the person dresses, looks, behaves or what their name is.

Why the right pronouns matter

It’s important people, workplaces and organisations support people’s use of self-identified first names, in place of legal names given at birth, and self-identified pronouns, in place of assumed pronouns based on sex assigned at birth or other’s perceptions of physical appearance.

Being misgendered and/or misnamed may leave the person feeling disrespected, invalidated and dismissed. This can be distressing and threaten the person’s mental health.

Transgender and non binary people are twice as likely to have suicidal thoughts than the general population, and are up to four times as likely to engage in risky substance use.

Read more: Almost half of trans young people try to end their lives. How can we reduce this alarming statistic?

Conversely, using correct pronouns and names reduces depression and suicide risks .

Studies have found that when compared with peers who could not use their chosen name and pronoun, young people who could experienced 71% fewer symptoms of severe depression, a 34% decrease in reported thoughts of suicide and a 65% decrease in suicide attempts.

7 tips for getting pronouns right

The following tips might help you better understand gender pronouns and how you can affirm someone’s gender identity:

1. Don’t assume another person’s gender or gender pronouns

You can’t always know what someone’s gender pronouns are by looking at them, by their name, or by how they dress or behave.

2. Ask a person’s gender pronoun

Asking about and correctly using someone’s gender pronouns is an easy way to show your respect for their identity. Ask a person respectfully and privately what pronoun they use. A simple “Can I ask what pronoun you use?” will usually suffice.

3. Share your own gender pronoun

Normalise the sharing of gender pronouns by actively sharing your own. You can include them after your name in your signature, on your social media accounts or when you introduce yourself in meetings. Normalising the sharing of gender pronouns can be particularly helpful to people who use pronouns outside of the binary.

4. Apologise if you call someone by the wrong pronoun

Mistakes happen and it can be difficult to adjust to using someone’s correct pronouns. If you accidentally misgender someone, apologise and continue the conversation using the correct pronoun.

5. Avoid binary-gendered language

Avoid addressing groups as “ladies and gentleman” or “boys and girls” and address groups of people as “everyone”, “colleagues”, “friends” or “students”. Employers should use gender-neutral language in formal and informal communications.

6. Help others

Help others use a person’s correct pronouns. If a colleague, employer or friend uses an incorrect pronoun, correct them.

7. Practise!

If you’ve not used gender-neutral pronouns such as “they” and “ze” before, give yourself time to practise and get used to them.

Read more: LGBT+ history month: forgotten figures who challenged gender expression and identity centuries ago

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“Gender Pronouns” Student Writing Lesson

Is there anyone in your life—you included—who is not comfortable being referred to as “he” or “she”? Write a letter to Cole, founder of the Brown Boi Project, on how you feel about this expansion of gender pronoun language. How do you deal with this cultural change?

Students will read and respond to the YES! Magazine article, “‘They’ and the Emotional Weight of Words.”

In this article, Cole, founder of the Brown Boi Project, welcomes the expanding list of gender pronouns. Pronouns can help us all learn to see and respect each other’s identity. Instead of cultivating fear, shame, and embarrassment around not knowing the right thing to say, Cole encourages us to create new approaches to language so we feel freer and more open with each other.

Download lesson as a PDF.

YES! Magazine Article and Writing Prompt

Read the YES! Magazine article by Cole, “‘They’ and the Emotional Weight of Words.”

Writing Prompt:

Society is shifting from a binary “he-she” world to a more fluid spectrum of gender identities. As the story’s author Cole points out, pronouns can be the basis from which all of us learn to see and respect each other’s identity. Some people feel awkward or uncomfortable with this transition, asking questions like, “What’s with this ‘they’ thing?” Others find it freeing.

Students, please respond to the writing prompt below with an up-to-700-word letter to the author: Is there anyone in your life—you included—who is not comfortable being referred to as “he” or “she”? Write a letter to Cole on how you feel about this expansion of gender pronoun language. How do you deal with this cultural change?

Writing Guidelines

The writing guidelines below are intended to be just that—a guide. Please adapt to fit your curriculum.

• Provide an original essay title
• Reference the article
• Limit the essay to no more than 700 words
• Pay attention to grammar and organization
• Be original. provide personal examples and insights
• Demonstrate clarity of content and ideas
• This writing exercise meets several Common Core State Standards for grades 6-12, including W. 9-10.3 and W. 9-10.14 for Writing, and RI. 9-10 and RI. 9-10.2 for Reading: Informational Text.*

*This standard applies to other grade levels. “9-10” is used as an examples.

Evaluation Rubric

Sample Essays

The essays below were selected as winners for the Spring 2017 Student Writing Competition. Please use them as sample essays or mentor text. The ideas, structure, and writing style of these essays may provide inspiration for your own students’ writing—and an excellent platform for analysis and discussion.

“A New Design for Language,” by Alex Gerber, grade 8. Read Alex’s essay about the social and grammatical limits of gender-neutral pronouns—and how to get beyond them.

“The Jintas of Conservative Korean Culture,” by Joanne Yang, grade 8. Read Joanne’s essay about how words should never be allowed to limit who we are.

“Language is a Many-Gendered Thing,” by Ella Martinez, grade 9. Read Ella’s essay about the challenges of using gender-neutral pronouns in a Puerto Rican American family.

“The Right to Be a Little Bit Rude,” by Madeleine Wise, grade 9. Read Madeleine’s essay about overcoming the discomfort of correcting people who use the wrong gender pronouns.

“The Thoughts and Struggle of a Two Spirit,” by Toby Greybear, grade 9. Read Toby’s essay, about embracing a new gender identity—and rediscovering a tradition.

“Existing Openly is Half the Battle,” by Avery Hunt, university. Read Avery’s essay about being the token nonbinary person at college while still learning about their own gender.

We Want to Hear From You!

How do you see this lesson fitting in your curriculum? Already tried it? Tell us—and other teachers—how the lesson worked for you and your students

Please leave your comments below, including what grade you teach.

Related Resources

“Three Things That Matter Most” Student Writing Lesson

“What We Fear” Student Writing Lesson

“Letting Go of Worry” Student Writing Lesson

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Using Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing

As the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) explains, “Language plays a central role in the way human beings behave and think” (“ Guidelines for Gender–Fair Use of Language” ). With this in mind, it is important to consider how we are precisely and inclusively using individual words. For a thorough set of guidelines and examples of how to use gender–fair language (including creating gender balance and promoting gender equity in pronouns, titles, labels, and names), see this detailed advice from NCTE.

On this page, we focus on one dimension of inclusion and fair–language use: using gender–neutral pronouns when writing about an individual intentionally presented without gendered characteristics, someone with a mix of gendered characteristics, or a person/community who identifies outside the he/she binary. In these academic writing circumstances, using gender–neutral pronouns in your writing is the most appropriate option.

Three Common Gender-Neutral Pronouns

(Table adapted from the one presented in the Gender Neutral Pronoun Blog .)

Choosing Which Gender–Neutral Pronouns to Use

When writing about a person who uses gender–neutral pronouns, there are several ways to figure out which pronouns to use. If you’re writing about a person you can contact, you can ask this individual about pronouns and utilize the pronouns this person uses. For example, if a person uses “ze/hir/hirs,” it is inappropriate to replace those pronouns with “they/them/theirs.” You can also trace the pronouns other writers and researchers have used when writing about your research subject. If you are writing about a person for whom there isn’t consensus around one set of pronouns, we advise using the most current pronouns you find.

Clarifying Your Choices

Some audiences may be unfamiliar with gender–neutral pronouns. One of the ways to communicate with such a readership about your pronoun usage is to add an explanatory footnote after the first application of a gender–neutral pronoun in your paper. This can help readers understand your decisions as a writer. Here are some examples of how to do that.

1 In this paper, I use the self–reported gender pronouns my participants provided, including the gender–neutral pronouns “ze/hir” and “they/them.” For more information, see the UW–Madison LGBT Campus Center guide to pronouns (https://students.wisc.edu/lgbt/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/07/LGBTCC-Gender-pronoun-guide.pdf). 1 The narrator of Winterson’s Written on the Body is never given a gendered pronoun or any specific gendered characteristics. To preserve the gender–neutral presentation of the narrator, I am choosing to use “they/them” pronouns in reference to the narrator in my paper.

Works Cited

NCTE. “Guidelines for Gender–Fair Use of Language.” National Council of Teachers of English, revised by Nancy Prosenjak, et al., National Council of Teachers of English, revised ed., 2002, http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/genderfairuseoflang. Accessed 10 Aug. 2017.

“The Need for a Gender–Neutral Pronoun.” Gender Neutral Pronoun Blog. 24 Jan. 2010, https://genderneutralpronoun.wordpress.com/. Accessed 10 Aug. 2017.

Grammar and Punctuation

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Clear, Concise Sentences

Gender-Inclusive Language

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you make decisions about using gendered language in your writing.

What is gendered language, and why should you be aware of it?

You have probably encountered documents that use masculine nouns and pronouns to refer to subject(s) whose gender is unclear or variable, or to groups that contain people who are not actually men. For example, the U.S. Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal.” Generations of Americans have been taught that in this context, the word “men” should be read as including both men and women. Other common instances of gendered language include words that assume connections between jobs or roles and gender (like “policeman”) and language conventions that differ depending on the gender of the person being discussed (like using titles that indicate a person’s marital status).

English has changed since the Declaration of Independence was written. Most readers no longer understand the word “man” to be synonymous with “person,” so clear communication requires writers to be more precise. And using gender-neutral language has become standard practice in both journalistic and academic writing, as you’ll see if you consult the style manuals for different academic disciplines (APA, MLA, and Chicago, for example).

Tackling gendered references in your writing can be challenging, especially since there isn’t (and may never be) a universally agreed upon set of concrete guidelines on which to base your decisions. But there are a number of different strategies you can “mix and match” as necessary.

Gendered nouns

“Man” and words ending in “-man” are the most commonly used gendered nouns in English. These words are easy to spot and replace with more neutral language, even in contexts where many readers strongly expect the gendered noun. For example, Star Trek writers developing material for contemporary viewers were able to create a more inclusive version of the famous phrase “where no man has gone before” while still preserving its pleasing rhythm: Star Trek explorers now venture “where no one has gone before.”

Here’s a list of gendered nouns and some alternatives listed below. Check a thesaurus for alternatives to gendered nouns not included in this list.

Sometimes writers modify nouns that refer to jobs or positions to indicate the sex of the person holding that position. This happens most often when the sex of the person goes against conventional expectations. For example, some people may assume, perhaps unconsciously, that doctors are men and that nurses are women. Sentences like “The female doctor walked into the room” or “The male nurse walked into the room” reinforce such assumptions. Unless the sex of the subject is important to the meaning of the sentence, it should be omitted. (Here’s an example where the health care professional’s sex might be relevant: “Some women feel more comfortable seeing female gynecologists.”)

Titles and names

Another example of gendered language is the way the titles “Mr.,” “Miss,” and “Mrs.” are used. “Mr.” can refer to any man, regardless of whether he is single or married, but “Miss” and “Mrs.” define women by whether they are married, which until quite recently meant defining them by their relationships with men. A simple alternative when addressing or referring to a woman is “Ms.” (which doesn’t indicate marital status).

Another note about titles: some college students are in the habit of addressing most women older than them, particularly teachers, as “Mrs.,” regardless of whether the woman in question is married. It’s worth knowing that many female faculty and staff (including married women) prefer to be addressed as “Ms.” or, if the term applies, “Professor” or “Dr.” It should also be noted that “Mx.” is the generally acknowledged gender-neutral honorific if “Professor” or “Dr.” does not apply.

Writers sometimes refer to women using only their first names in contexts where they would typically refer to men by their full names, last names, or titles. But using only a person’s first name is more informal and can suggest a lack of respect. For example, in academic writing, we don’t refer to William Shakespeare as “William” or “Will”; we call him “Shakespeare” or “William Shakespeare.” So we should refer to Jane Austen as “Austen” or “Jane Austen,” not just “Jane.”

Similarly, in situations where you would refer to a man by his full title, you should do the same for a woman. For example, if you wouldn’t speak of American President Reagan “Ronald” or “Ronnie,” avoid referring to British Prime Minister Thatcher as “Margaret” or “Maggie.”

A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun. The English language provides pronoun options for references to masculine nouns (for example, “he” can substitute for “Juan”), feminine nouns (“she” can replace “Keisha”), and neutral/non-human nouns (“it” can stand in for “a tree”). But English offers no widely-accepted pronoun choice for gender-neutral, third-person singular nouns that refer to people (“the writer,” “a student,” or “someone”). As we discussed at the beginning of this handout, the practice of using masculine pronouns (“he,” “his,” “him”) as the “default” is outdated and will confuse or offend many readers.

So what can you do when you’re faced with one of those gender-neutral or gender-ambiguous language situations? You have a couple of options.

1. Try making the nouns and pronouns plural

If it works for your particular sentence, using plural forms is often an excellent option. Here’s an example of a sentence that can easily be rephrased:

A student who loses too much sleep may have trouble focusing during [his/her] exams.

If we make “student” plural and adjust the rest of the sentence accordingly, there’s no need for gendered language (and no confusion or loss of meaning):

Students who lose too much sleep may have trouble focusing during their exams.

2. Use “they” as a singular pronoun

Most of the time, the word “they” refers to a plural antecedent. For example,

Because experienced hikers know that weather conditions can change rapidly, they often dress in layers.

But using “they” with a singular antecedent is not a new phenomenon, and while it’s less common in formal writing, it has become quite common in speech. In a conversation, many people would not even notice how “they” is being used here:

Look for the rental car company’s representative at the airport exit; they will be holding a sign with your name on it.

Some people are strongly opposed to the use of “they” with singular antecedents and are likely to react badly to writing that uses this approach. Others argue that “they” should be adopted as English’s standard third-person, gender-neutral pronoun in all writing and speaking contexts. “They” is the most respectful way to be mindful of those of all genders.

What if you’re not sure of someone’s gender?

You may sometimes find yourself needing to refer to a person whose gender you’re uncertain of. Perhaps you are writing a paper about the creator of an ancient text or piece of art whose identity (and therefore gender) is unknown–for example, we are not certain who wrote the 6th-century epic poem “Beowulf.” Perhaps you’re participating in an online discussion forum where the participants are known only by usernames like “PurpleOctopus25” or “I Love Big Yellow Fish.” You could be writing about someone you don’t personally know whose name is not clearly associated with a particular gender—someone named Sam Smith might be Samuel, Samantha, Samson, or something else—or the person’s name might be in a language you’re unfamiliar with (for example, if English is the only language you speak and read, you might have difficulty guessing the gender associated with a Chinese name). Or maybe you’re discussing a person whose name or pronouns have changed or whose gender identity is fluid. Perhaps your subject does not fit neatly into the categories of “man” and “woman” or rejects those categories entirely.

In these situations, in addition to using “they,” you could also try:

• Refer to the person using a descriptive word or phrase: the writer of Beowulf is frequently referred to as “The Beowulf poet” or (in contexts where “Beowulf” is the only poem being discussed) “the poet.”
• If the person is known to you only by a username, repeat the username or follow the standard practices of the forum–PurpleOctopus25 might become Purple or P.O. in subsequent references. (Advice columnists often use a similar strategy; if “I Love Big Yellow Fish” wrote to ask for advice, the columnist’s response might begin with “Dear Fish Lover.”)
• If the person’s name is known, keep using the name rather than substituting a pronoun. Rephrase as necessary to reduce the number of times you must repeat it: “Blogger Sam Smith’s cats have apparently destroyed Smith’s furniture, stolen Smith’s sandwiches, and terrorized Smith, Smith’s dogs, and Smith’s housemate” could become “Blogger Sam Smith’s cats have apparently destroyed couches, stolen sandwiches, and terrorized their human and canine housemates.”
• Do a little research: if you are writing about a public figure of any kind, chances are that others have also written about that person; you may be able to follow their lead. If you see multiple practices, imitate the ones that seem most respectful.

If you’re writing about someone you are in contact with, you can ask how that person would like to be referred to.

What about the content of the paper?

Much discussion about gendered language focuses on choosing the right words, but the kinds of information writers include or omit can also convey values and assumptions about gender. For example, think about the ways Barack and Michelle Obama have been presented in the media. Have you seen many discussions of Barack’s weight, hairstyle, and clothing? Many readers and viewers have pointed out that the appearance of female public figures (not just politicians, but actors, writers, activists, athletes, etc.) is discussed more often, more critically, and in far more detail than the appearance of men in similar roles. This pattern suggests that women’s appearance matters more than men’s does and is interesting and worthy of attention, regardless of the context.

Similarly, have you ever noticed patterns in the way that men’s and women’s relationships with their families are discussed (in person, online, or elsewhere)? When someone describes what a male parent does for his children as “babysitting” or discusses family leave policies without mentioning how they apply to men, you may wonder whether the speaker or writer is assuming that men are not interested in caring for their children.

These kinds of values and assumptions about gender can weaken arguments. In many of your college writing assignments, you’ll be asked to analyze something (an issue, text, event, etc.) and make an evidence-based argument about it. Your readers will critique your arguments in part by assessing the values and assumptions your claims rely on. They may look for evidence of bias, overgeneralization, incomplete knowledge, and so forth. Critically examining the role that gender has played in your decisions about the content of your paper can help you make stronger, more effective arguments that will be persuasive to a wide variety of readers, no matter what your topic is or what position you take.

Checklist for gender-related revisions

As you review your writing, ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you used “man” or “men” or words containing them to refer to people who may not be men?
• Have you used “he,” “him,” “his,” or “himself” to refer to people who may not be men?
• If you have mentioned someone’s sex or gender, was it necessary to do so?
• Do you use any occupational (or other) stereotypes?
• Do you provide the same kinds of information and descriptions when writing about people of different genders?

Perhaps the best test for gender-inclusive language is to imagine a diverse group of people reading your paper. Would each reader feel respected?  Envisioning your audience is a critical skill in every writing context, and revising with a focus on gendered language is a perfect opportunity to practice.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

American Psychological Association. 2010. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

University of Chicago Press. 2017. The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Why Are Gender Pronouns So Controversial?

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Pronouns are small but controversial words, especially regarding gender identity. Myles explores the history of gender pronouns and asks: why do they matter?

This video was co-produced with Peer Health Exchange , a non-profit whose mission is to empower young people with the knowledge, skills, and resources to make healthy decisions. They recently launched selfsea , a peer-to-peer platform with free resources, support, and stories from young people who’ve been there. selfsea is for young people aged 13-18 designed as a safe space to discuss and share knowledge on identity, mental health, and sexual health.

TEACHERS: Guide your students to practice civil discourse about current topics and get practice writing CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) responses.  Explore lesson supports.

What are pronouns in the English language?

They are these little words we use to replace the words for people’s names, places, or things. Which are NOUNS. Gender pronouns are the terms people choose to refer to themselves that reflect their gender identity. The most commonly used these days are he/him, she/her, or gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them.

How do pronouns relate to gender identity?

When it comes to pronouns to identify a person, we get into identity and that’s where things get complex – and, often political. The big thing personal pronouns often signal is someone’s gender identity. According to scientists, gender isn’t a rigid he/she binary rooted in the sex a person was assigned at birth. Biology and culture BOTH influence our identity, which can be fluid. That means it’s not carved in stone and can change – and it can also be a spectrum. And gender’s not something anyone can ascribe to you– it’s each person’s internal sense of how they personally identify.

What is transgender?

Some people don’t always identify with the sex they were assigned at birth, or the gender pronouns others use to describe them. Often these folks identify themselves as transgender. They may have been assigned female or male but may not identify with that label.

What is the opposition to gender-neutral pronouns all about?

There is a LOT of resistance to using gender-neutral pronouns. In fact, according to Pew Research, almost half of all Americans say they feel “somewhat or very uncomfortable” using they/them pronouns. And the level of discomfort has a lot to do with age, and where you fall on the political spectrum. A common excuse you may see out there is that using “they/them” to describe individual people is “poor grammar.” This isn’t technically correct – people use they/them to describe singular people all the time. As in, “Who parked their car here? They did a terrible job.”

What is the history of gender-neutral pronouns?

There is a long history of people inventing gender-neutral pronouns. One linguist found more than 250 proposed gender-neutral pronouns going back the last few centuries. Examples include “hiser” (1850), “thon” (1858). “ze” (1888) and “hir” (1930) and “ve” (1970). And in 1850, the British Parliament passed a law that the pronoun “He” must be used to describe people of ALL genders. Most of these older language norms have fallen into disuse – but it’s important to note that language is always evolving to reflect new social norms.

Why is it important to respect which pronouns people want to use? Two words: safety and respect. Pronouns signal to the world our gender identity, and part of respecting each other’s humanity is honoring how we all identify.

 “ A Guide To Identity Terms ” (NPR, 2021)

“ Beyond He and She: 1 in 4 LGBTQ youths use nonbinary pronouns, survey finds ” (NBC News, 2020)

“ About one-in-five U.S. adults know someone who goes by a gender-neutral pronoun ” (Pew Research Center, 2019)

“ The long, long history – and bright future – of the genderless ‘they ’” (Boston Globe, 2018)

“ Pronouns have always been political ” (Medium, 2016)

“ Taking Cues from Texas and Florida, More States Propose Bills Targeting Queer and Trans Youth ” (KQED, 2022)

“ Pronouns and Possibilities: Transgender Language Activism and Reform ” (Language and Social Justice in Practice, 2018) 

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How gender pronouns impact essay writing.

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As the classic Bob Dylan song goes, “The Times They are a Changin’…” Such lyrics could not be truer in today’s world. Politics are polarized and heated debates surround human rights issues such as LGBTQ rights—including the changing use of gender pronouns.

Regardless of one’s personal perspective towards these changing social contexts, transforming gender pronouns signify a language evolution that influences academic essay writing.

If you are a student, it is important to stay current on gender pronoun standards for essay writing to ensure your papers are up to par and graded fairly.

In this post, we will cover everything you need to know about changing gender pronoun standards. We will also talk about how an essay writing service can help provide clarity, including:

• Why and how gender pronouns are changing.
• New societal and academic standards.
• Why gender pronouns matter.
• What this all means for academic essay writing.
• How an essay writing service can help, and where to find a trustworthy essay writing service.

Why gender pronouns are changing

Today, LGBTQ rights are a social and political topic that have gained considerable focus. Despite a societal reinforcement of traditional gender roles, more and more individuals are expressing personal identities outside of traditional gender and sexual identity roles. This includes those identifying themselves as transgender, non-binary, or gender-fluid.

Human rights issues such as women’s rights, gender equality and LGBTQ rights are challenging traditional gender norms and concepts of gender roles. This evolving social climate changes the language used to more accurately describe expressed genders.

Below are some common new terms that you may find it helpful to be aware of.

How gender pronouns are changing

If you engaged in this social conversation, it is helpful to clearly understand new gender-identity related terms. Here are some common terms and phrases you may encounter related to changing expressions of gender and sexual identity.

Common gender and sexual identity terms you may see in academic writing

• The terms lesbian and gay refer to individuals whose sexual preference corresponds to the same gender or sex.
• Bisexual relates to individuals who identify as being interested in both genders or sexes.
• The terms transgender and transsexual refer to individuals who choose to identify as a gender or sex other than the biological sex or gender they were born as.
• Queer generally refers to an individual who does not identify with traditional gender and sexual roles. While once considered a derogatory term, queer is now considered a politically correct term to use when identifying non-normative gender and sexually-oriented individuals.
• Though not included in the acronym, pansexual (being attracted to all sexes and genders regardless of their identity—also known as gender blind ) and asexual (having no sexual feelings or attractions) also fall into the scope of terms describing non-normative, or queer, sexual identities.
• Non-binary: a person or context that is not identified by traditional dualistic male/female gender roles.
• Gender fluid: A person who may identify with both genders, and/or chooses to express themselves as either gender or both genders.
• Gender neutral: A person or context that neither identifies nor gives preference to one gender over another.
• Cisgender: A term used to describe the biologically-identified gender a person is born as.
• Gender non-normative: An individual that falls outside the scope of traditional male / female gender roles.

New gender pronouns

• They: They is often used to describe individuals who do not identify traditionally as he or she , who are gender fluid. They can also be used to refer to gender-neutral individuals.
• Ze: Ze is a new pronoun ( zir being the possessive form) that is used to identify an individual for which the gender is unknown. Ze is often used to refer to individuals who choose to not reveal a specific gender identity.
• Xe: Xe is the plural form of ze and is used to identify groups of gender-unidentified individuals.

New societal standards

The introduction of these new gender pronouns is influencing national and government-level debates about conventional language standards.

They, them, theirs, ze, zirs, hirs and xe , for instance, are being introduced as alternatives to conventional he and she pronouns for use in corporate, public and educational institutions.

For example, some organizations are encouraging staff to use the term partner instead of wife or husband in an effort to strengthen workplace inclusivity. Also, the US Department of Health and Human Services Pride Network recently officially announced They Day . They Day takes place during the first Wednesday of each month and promotes gender diversity awareness.

A hot debate

Changing gender norms have not gone without considerable attention and controversy. For instance, some social rights activists feel it unfair that male gender pronouns are traditionally used to identify groups of gender-diverse people. For example, the US Declaration of Independence states, “all men are created equal.” In this phrase, of course, men refers to people, both male and female. Such language conventions area being called into question.

Many proponents of inclusivity and the use of new gender pronouns feel it is important to recognize and treat non-gender-binary individuals with respect and equality. Individuals who are gender non-normative may find it hurtful to be identified with binary pronouns like he or she that do not accurately reflect their chosen gender preference.

From another perspective, those choosing a more traditional standpoint towards gender expression may find it challenging to understand how non-traditional gender roles fit within the context of society. Some may also be unsure of exactly how to appropriately refer to gender non-normative individuals.

Below, we will help clarify these issues by exploring why gender roles matter, and how and when to use certain gender pronouns.

Why do gender pronouns matter?

Gender pronouns are intimately linked with individuals’ sense of identity. The words, names and pronouns a person self-identifies with are extremely personal. If someone feels they are not being referred to in a way that fits with their personal preference, it can cause one to feel hurt, misunderstood or marginalized.

Yet gender pronouns and categories play an important role in society. Accurate use of gender pronouns is a critical part of culture, society and language. Using correct gender pronouns to understand an individual’s gender can clarify everything from personal identity and legal information, to dating situations, to family health information.

In academia, correct gender-identification is a critical aspect of research involving human subjects. The more researchers understand about subjects, the more accurately results can be described in a non-biased, nondiscriminatory way .

What this means for academic essay writing

So, what does all this gender pronoun talk mean for you as a student? And how does it impact essay writing? Changing gender pronouns impact essay writing in a couple different ways.

First, academic standards are changing to encourage the use of more inclusive language. This means it is important to avoid gender bias when writing academically.

Second, it is important to know when and how to use which gender pronouns. Essay writing services such as Ultius can provide examples of appropriate uses of gender pronouns in academic writing.

New academic standards

The use of correct gender pronouns is part of student wellness, and wellness and academic performance go hand-in-hand. Due to student diversity in academic settings, many universities have embraced inclusivity standards that promote non-biased gender language.

New Guidelines for Gender Fair Use Language, recently published by the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English), provide a set of standards for using inclusive, non-biased language in academic writing. The New Guidelines document includes rules for using titles, labels, names and pronouns in a way that promotes gender equality.

When to use gender neutral pronouns

There are several pronouns that can be used in situations in which a person’s gender is unidentified or non-binary. The following chart explains the appropriate and grammatically-correct use of three gender neutral pronouns:

If you are unsure of how to identify a person whose gender is nondescript or who uses gender neutral pronouns, consider politely asking the individual what gender pronoun is preferred. In situations in which a person prefers ze , hir or hirs , it is inappropriate to use they , them or theirs . Likewise, when referring to a transgender individual who is a cisgender female but transitioned to a male gender expression, referring to that individual as she is not appropriate. Referring to that individual as he is appropriate. Did you know misgendering is one of the top contemporary issues facing transgender people in America?

If you are unable to ask for clarification, using gender-neutral term such as they is always more correct than making a gender binary assumption and using an exclusively male or female pronoun. Working with an essay writing service while researching and writing can also help clarify how to best use these pronouns.

Here are some additional tips for using gender pronouns in essay writing:

• If in doubt , err on the side of neutrality.
• Use alternate gender pronouns such as those listed above when referring to gender-neutral, gender fluid, non-identified, or non-binary individuals.
• Remember that readers may be unfamiliar with gender-neutral terms . Consider using footnotes to explain new gender identity terms or gender neutral pronouns such as ze used in your paper.
• Explain why you chose to use the gender pronouns you did . For instance, if you use they to describe a gender-diverse audience, use a footnote to explain who the term they applies to. Likewise, if you use a male gender pronoun to describe a gender diverse group, explain the cultural context from which the binary gender pronoun was chosen. For instance, perhaps you used the word mankind because of its traditional use or meaning. Explain this to the reader to avoid unintentional bias.
• Use multiple gender pronouns as indicated by writing “s/he” rather than just “she” or just “he.” This, while still gender binary, leaves the possibilities of gender identity open and keeps your writing inclusive.
• Use these thought-joggers in the table below if you are stumped trying to replace a gender-specific term with a gender-neutral term. Choose an alternate pronoun from the list below:

Finally, while they can serve as a gender-neutral term, some professors may dislike its use in singular situations. For example, using the term they to refer to an individual may be considered grammatically incorrect by some professors. If in doubt, first check with your professor. If you are reprimanded for using they , point for professor to examples and show them knowing the difference is a real word skill .

If you are still feeling unclear, an essay writing service can be a helpful resource to turn to. High quality essay writing services such as Ultius provide assistance from top writers who are skilled in using diverse gender pronouns in a grammatically correct way.

Context and audience matter

In addition to knowing your pronoun options like those listed above, it is also important to consider how context influences essay writing. The class you write your paper for and the audience who will be reading your paper help determine how to use gender pronouns appropriately. Remember, your professor is not your only audience. Although your professor will be grading your paper, you professor will likely grade your paper based on how well you write it to your intended audience. Your intended audience refers to those who the paper applies to.

For example, if you are writing a social justice paper for a women’s studies class, your intended audience will probably be socially liberal individuals who welcome and prefer the use of gender-inclusive language. If you are writing a paper for a Christian university that values traditional, Biblically-referenced gender roles, it is likely best to use binary male/female gender terms.

Before writing, consider the topic and context of your paper. And again, if you are finding it tricky to decipher what type of language to use, consider reaching out to an essay writing service and buy an essay for guidance.

What to do if in doubt

Even when making the best effort to be gender-inclusive and non-biased, changing terminologies can still cause confusion during the writing process.

If you are feeling stuck knowing how to use gender pronouns correctly, try these tips:

• Use a formal name or noun instead of a pronoun . In other words, name the person rather than substituting the name with a pronoun.
• Do some research . If you are writing about a common topic, group of people or individual, check out how other empirical sources have identified the topic, group or person with respect. If you are stuck with the research process, try working with a professional essay writing service.
• Do not be afraid to ask for help . Guidance is a natural and helpful part of the learning process. Essay writing services can provide assistance clarifying the use of gender pronouns. An essay writing service can also help with grammatical editing.
• Use the checklist below as a quick reference.

Gender PC checklist

After you finish writing an essay, use this checklist as a guide to determine whether or not you used gender pronouns as correctly as possible:

• Check your topic and context . Who is your audience? How do they define and view gender roles? How will this impact your use of gender pronouns?
• Search your document for gender binary terms like he , she , him , her , his and hers . Are these terms used in situations that relate to male/female gender roles?
• Did you accurately refer to individuals ’ genders or sexual identities in your paper?
• Were any gender-related opinions you included required by the instructions ? If not, how could you revise your writing to eliminate gender bias?

These checklist items can be somewhat subjective, which is why it can be incredibly helpful to have a second set of eyes review your draft. Essay writing services like Ultius not only provide example essays of how to use gender pronouns correctly, but also offer help editing .

How an essay writing service can help

As language evolves with changing standards, essay writing services can help in a number of ways by:

• Providing guidance about what gender pronouns are most appropriate to use in different contexts, classes, and situations.
• Proofreading essays to ensure new gender pronouns are used in a grammatically correct way.
• Providing example papers that use gender pronouns in a non-discriminatory and unbiased way in alignment with most academic standards.
• Clarifying the tone and voice most politically correct to use, depending on the class, topic and intended audience.

If you are needing for help in any of these areas, you will want to be sure you opt for an essay writing service that is highly rated and trustworthy. Here are a few key considerations.

What to look for in a trustworthy essay writing service

Essay writing services are trustworthy when they meet the right criteria. When choosing an essay writing service, make sure the essay writing service you choose meets these three criteria:

• Hires quality professional writers with a diverse skill set . Top tier essay writing services such as Ultius only hire 6% of the writers who apply. Call the service you are considering and ask how the hiring process takes place.
• Has positive reviews . Avoid essay writing services with picture perfect, 5-star reviews across the board, which may be fabricated. Instead, go for an essay writing service with almost-perfect reviews.
• Free revisions and 24/7 support . You will definitely want the ability to contact essay writing service support 24/7 if you are a college student with a heavy class load.

If you have questions about academic writing standards and what kind of language to use in an essay, an essay writing service can help.

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Gendered Pronouns in Academic Writing

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• 6th July 2016

Pronouns – words that can take the place of a noun in a sentence – can be quite controversial in academic writing. Nevertheless, we often need pronouns in our work, particularly when referring to other people.

There is, of course, the issue of using the first person in essays, which we’ve addressed elsewhere . But today we’re focusing on gendered pronouns .

So, what is a gendered pronoun? Should we use them in essays ? And why are they problematic?

Gendered Pronouns

Gendered pronouns refer to a specific gender. In English, this includes the third person pronouns ‘he’ and ‘his’ (male), and ‘she’ and ‘her’ (female).

This is an issue because, until quite recently, academic discourse was very male. Traditionally, therefore, ‘he’ has been used whenever referring to a non-specific individual:

When someone starts a business, he has to make several decisions.

Reasonably enough, the 51% of the population to whom ‘he’ doesn’t apply eventually got bored of this masculine approach. A non-sexist alternative is therefore required.

Gender Neutral Pronouns

It is, of course, fine to use ‘he’ and ‘she’ when referring to particular individuals of a known gender, such as a specific author:

Woolf’s prose style reflects her thematic interests.

But knowing which pronoun to use when referring to a non-specific person is tricky, since there’s no singular, third person gender neutral pronoun in English.

One option is to use the impersonal first person pronoun ‘one’:

When one starts a business, one has to make several decisions.

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This sounds quite old fashioned, though, while using the second person ‘you’ in the same way can seem a little informal. As such, neither is ideal for modern academic writing.

Another possibility is using ‘he or she’ whenever a gendered pronoun would be required:

When someone starts a business, he or she has to make several decisions.

But this can make your writing seem cluttered or awkward, so isn’t always suitable.

Others have invented dedicated gender neutral third person pronouns, such as ‘ze’ or ‘zie’ . However, these are not yet in common use.

The Singular ‘They’

An increasingly popular alternative is to use the third person plural pronouns ‘they’, ‘their’ and ‘them’ to refer to individuals. Technically, this is a non-standard usage, since ‘they’ usually applies to a group:

When wolves hunt, they work in packs.

But it is now often used to refer to an individual when you don’t want to specify a gender:

When someone starts a business, they have to make several decisions.

This neatly avoids forcing the writer to use a gendered pronoun while also being clear and concise.

Nevertheless, since this involves non-standard grammar (the singular ‘someone’ being paired up with the plural verb ‘have’), some consider this use of ‘they’ incorrect. As such, you should always check your style guide for advice on using gendered pronouns if you are unsure.

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What Are the Preferred Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing?

Choosing the right pronoun for instances where a person’s gender is unknown or does not conform to the social norms is a topic that has been much discussed and debated. English grammar books explain that English only has the gendered pronouns he and she to refer to an individual in the third person. (The gender-neutral word it is only used for animals or objects; it would be impolite to call a person it .)

This poses a problem in several scenarios. For example, consider that you wish to quote an anonymous survey respondent in your research article. If the respondent’s gender is not reported, should you call the person he or she ? Would the pronoun they suffice in this context, even though they is usually described as the third person plural? Other times, you may wish to write abstractly about someone or anyone . You might also want to refer to each individual in a large group that consists of both men and women. Should you talk about he , she , or they ?

Older texts are likely to use “ he” in such instances. For example, it is common to see sentences like “Every lawyer should bring his briefcase.” Contemporary style guides and editors tend to recommend he or she , although they is quite common, especially in informal contexts and spoken conversation. This article explains the background of the issue as well as current perspectives.

Traditional View and Existing Guidelines

Past generations were taught to default to the masculine pronoun he , called the “generic” or “neutral” he . The idea was that the generic he could represent either a male or female person. This resulted in sentences such as “Every lawyer should bring his briefcase,” as mentioned above. As a result of feminist objections, however, since the 1960s and 1970s, writers have increasingly used the phrase he or she . This phrase explicitly acknowledges the possibility of either a male or female person as the referent.

He or she is the phrase currently recommended by APA and The Chicago Manual of Style when avoidance strategies are insufficient. This is explained in further detail below.

Contemporary Perspectives: Singular they vs. he or she

Linguists point out that the pronoun they is, in fact, a third person singular form widely used in colloquial English when a person’s gender is unknown or simply unspecified, tracing the usage back several centuries (Grey, 2015). In casual conversation, you would sound perfectly natural saying “Somebody forgot their coat.”

The American Dialect Society drew attention to this fact by recognizing the gender-neutral, singular they as the “ word of the year ” for 2015 and has also noted its acceptance by the Washington Post style guide.

As APA blog writer Chelsea Lee points out , researchers in gender studies may object to the binary way of thinking that underlies the phrase he or she . Indeed, some transgender or gender non-conforming individuals may specifically ask to be referred to as they . If they is to be used in this way, it is a good idea to give a brief explanation (e.g., “Casey prefers the pronoun ‘they’”) so that readers do not feel confused.

However, in academic settings overall, using they as a singular form remains a matter of debate. Prestigious journals and publishers prefer traditional grammar and are likely to follow the advice of specific style guides. Therefore, despite the arguments in favor of allowing singular they , editors will probably revise sentences to avoid it or recommend the phrase he or she .

APA recommends avoiding the problem by changing sentences to the plural or eliminating the pronoun altogether. For example, sentence (1) can be revised to (2):

Each participant returned his portfolio.

The participants returned their  portfolios. (plural)

Each participant returned a portfolio. (elimination)

These strategies are also suggested by the OWL Purdue and The Chicago Manual of Style. If avoidance strategies do not yield a good sentence, however, APA and The Chicago Manual of Style recommend writing he or she , his or her , etc., as in (4):

Each participant returned his or her  portfolio.

Sometimes the two gendered pronouns are combined in writing as “s/he” or “(s)he.” However, having a large number of these spellings in the paper can be distracting. This is particularly true if the author then goes on to write “his/her” and “him/herself.” Having many slashes can give the paper a messy look. Both APA and The Chicago Manual of Style specifically caution writers to avoid such spellings, and APA recommends avoiding other strategies like choosing a pronoun arbitrarily or alternating between them sentence by sentence.

Recommendations

Among academics, the trend is still to use he or she to refer to “somebody,” “anyone,” an anonymous survey respondent, or a person whose gender is unknown. This is very likely the recommendation that will be handed down by the reviewer. Using he or she has the best chance of giving your research article the appropriate tone of conventional grammar while acknowledging both genders. In addition, you can use a robust writing assistant tool like Trinka . It is an AI-powered writing assistant that makes style and tone enhancements as per the APA style guide and helps you choose gender-neutral pronouns by correcting biased and insensitive language to avoid criticism and make your point effectively.

However, it is important to be aware of the issues mentioned above. Too many instances of he or she will make a paragraph wordy and difficult to follow. Therefore, in at least some instances, it is good to choose avoidance through the use of some of APA’s strategies.

Further, some researchers may intentionally use singular they as a reflection of their stance on gendered language or their desire to further the long-standing colloquial usage. The acceptance of singular they appears to be increasing.

Sarah Grey (2015, August 7). Subject-Verb Agreement and the Singular They . Retrieved from https://indiancopyeditors.wixsite.com/copyeditor/single-post/2016-1-22-subjectverb-agreement-and-the-singular-they

Thank you so much for this article. Ladislava from the Czech Republic

Okay, to anyone who believes that “they” is a viable option for a singular genderless pronoun: If we are to use “they” as a singular pronoun, are we still to conjugate the verbs that accompany the pronoun in the singular as well, especially when referring to a singular, indefinite pronoun?

E.g: Everyone should have the right to make up their own mind, they is a person just like you and they has the same rights you do.

Everyone: Indefinite singular (every one person, each individual in a group).

They: Third person singular.

No, its still conjugated the same, just as “you” is conjugated in the plural whether or not one is speaking of a singular or plural “you”

I still like s/he in certain contexts. It’s easy to understand for the layman, inclusive, and allows you to get your point across. They is probably the best, but I have an idiosyncratic way of doing things. I express gender and sexuality as ratios and percentages occasionally, and feel this would be more accurate and descriptive to the layman, who does not want to remember 72 different genders. This is just a matter of practicality and convenience when communicating with people of the 20th century who have no exposure to the many different expressions of sexuality and gender.

This article has been helpful in my quest to understand. I am trying to understand this new way of referring to individuals, but I have to ask why are we changing the language in the first place? Is it to not offend people by how they are addressed? I would find it completely offensive if I was referred to as “they”. How are older generations supposed to get educated on these things? The new references were not taught when I was in school.

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I’m With ‘They’

What’s the big deal with gender-neutral pronouns? Some readers and our columnist disagreed.

By Rachel L. Harris and Lisa Tarchak

Ms. Harris and Ms. Tarchak are senior editorial assistants at The Times.

“If we lived in a just, rational, inclusive universe — one in which we were not all so irredeemably obsessed by the particulars of the parts dangling between our fellow humans’ legs … there would be no requirement for you to have to assume my gender just to refer to me in the common tongue,” writes Farhad Manjoo in a recent column, “ Call Me ‘They.’ ” They make the case for adopting gender-neutral pronouns for reasons both cultural and linguistic, but ultimately in the name of inclusivity.

Some readers — who contributed to the more than 2,000 comments on the column — objected. Grammarians called for a return to order, feminists refused to relinquish the potential power of “she” and others felt that it just wasn’t worth the trouble.

[ Watch: Farhad Manjoo discussed these and other comments on Twitter . ]

Farhad responded to several of these readers in the comments. Selections from those exchanges are below. They have been edited for length and clarity.

‘My gender really isn’t your business’

I am cisgender and, yes, when someone is telling me about visiting a friend and then uses “they” to refer to that person it can take me half a beat to remind myself that I’m hearing about an individual, not a group. But that’s nothing when dealing with a person of unclear gender and I feel I have no reason to intrude upon them by asking their preferred pronouns.

I recently attended a seminar at which people’s introductions of themselves were to include their preferred pronouns, and I wanted to answer “they” as a way of saying “my gender really isn’t your business” and as a step in the direction Manjoo recommends. I lost my nerve. — Leslie, New Haven

Farhad Manjoo: Leslie, I do t hink it’s difficult to broach the subject in person, and as a person with some level of social anxiety, I often chicken out too. But I do think stepping up in these situations is good for everyone.

Phred, Maryland: Leslie, I’m one of the grammarians Farhad referenced in the column. I’m trying to use “they” as a singular pronoun, but it’s awkward and grammatically icky. I asked a colleague how long it took him to get used to it. He said about a year. It’s probably going to take me longer. But languages change, society changes, and we have to change with it. If I can get used to “his husband” and “her wife,” I can get used to “they.”

‘You’d be better off just using a new word’

The problem with changing the meaning of “they” is that millions of people in this country have been using a different meaning for decades. It’s as if a New York Times columnist suddenly declared that the word “eight” is the number of legs a dog has. You can ask for that change if you want, but you’ll confuse those of us who were taught to use the word “four” in that situation. You’d be better off just using a new word. — Upstate Albert, Rochester, N.Y.

Farhad Manjoo : Albert, I’d be happy with a new word — a third-person pronoun that is universally recognized as singular and gender neutral. I’d welcome that; it might work much better than “they.” But I think achieving consensus on what the word should be, and then pushing for widespread adoption, would be difficult or impossible. I prefer singular “they” because it’s already widely used and has been used for centuries. This is not a case of a Times columnist suddenly introducing a new word. This is a columnist arguing that we should go with the word being widely used already. I’m not staring the party. I’m late to the party.

‘It’s not language that is defining gender roles’

I appreciate the need to be sensitive to some , but come on . I don’t want to be referred to as “they” unless it makes sense grammatically. Let’s drop this idea that we’re stifling the vast majority of us. It’s not language that is defining gender roles, it’s how people behave and their willingness to be exposed to different ideas and individuals.

This issue doesn’t have real meaning to something like 99 percent of us. As a Gen Xer, I much prefer to adopt the attitude of “I don’t care what you do, go make yourself happy” than the attitude that we must all conform to make everyone else feel special and perfect all the time. — Martin, Hillsborough, N.C.

Farhad Manjoo : Martin, “I appreciate the need to be sensitive to some, but come on” is a thing Joe Biden would say. It telegraphs an uncaring, unsympathetic attitude to the rest of the world. Nobody is forcing you to call anyone anything. You’re still in charge and you’re either making the choice to use language that is inclusive, or you’re not, on the grounds that making people feel included is giving them special treatment.

As for your 99 percent claim, even if your numbers are correct, what’s wrong with including the other 1 percent? This was the same argument used against the Americans With Disabilities Act: The overwhelming majority is fine! Why spend all this money to make this small number feel “special and perfect all the time?”

AH, Chicago : Farhad, one of the problems in your logic is that you equate uniformity with inclusivity. Those concepts are not interchangeable or necessarily synonymous. In addition, I find your appeal for uniformity by all of society using “they” misguided at best and at worst, arrogant in the assumption that everyone will readily renounce his or her preferred gender pronoun.

Arbie, Virginia : As a nonbinary person, I wish people would stop for a moment before labeling this issue “silly” and “trivial” and engage their empathetic side. I wish they would ask themselves why it’s so important for many people to have their preferred pronouns respected while risking rejection and ridicule in response. I’d like to tell most people that this isn’t about them — but that would likely make them dig their heels in ever more firmly.

Erica, Pennsylvania : As a millennial, if that’s relevant, I much prefer to adopt the attitude that I don’t care what you do, but I’ll start with kindness. Such a small change, with minimal effort, could open so many people up to different ideas about gender. Look, we’re already having a conversation.

‘I will not accede to my linguistic erasure’

I am a transgender man — legally, socially, physically — and addressed unequivocally by those around me as “he/him.” This, for me, is a hugely important part of my social recognition given how much all of nature and society conspired against it and what a battle it was to get to this place. Being spontaneously addressed with the right pronouns remains a very important transition milestone for trans people. Its affirmative potential is just beyond words for us.

I will use “they/them” with anyone who asks me to, but I will not accede to my linguistic erasure solely because someone who is clearly overflowing with cisgender privilege suddenly gets it into their head that this might be a cool thing to do. — Stephen, Ireland

Farhad Manjoo : Stephen, I appreciate your perspective, and I did speak with many trans and nonbinary people for this piece about just this question. That’s why I tried to be clear that “they” should not replace gendered pronouns, but should be an option.

But I totally reject the insinuation that this is a fad or an attempt to be cool. It’s important for cisgender people to recognize people’s pronouns; it’s important, and will make a real difference in people’s lives, if cisgender people ask and respect them. How you get that to happen is through the mainstreaming of this conversation, and getting to a place where cisgender people specify their own pronouns, too, as a way to make it easier for everyone. I think that’s an important dynamic.

Charlie, San Francisco : I too am a transgender man and I respectfully disagree with Stephen. Manjoo is making an argument about how language shapes our culture and expectations, a conversation we all get to be a part of. He is advocating for the singular “they” to be acceptable and widely practiced, not for the eradication of “he/she.” It is an argument about language, not gender. Languages with no gendered pronouns exist, and those cultures still have male and female gender norms.

I do feel affirmed when referred to as “he,” but I know that comes after years of being misgendered, painfully, as “she.” I believe an English language with wide use of the singular “they” would be a gift to those who are misgendered regularly, especially trans youth.

‘ In practice, it’s pretty silly’

I have close friends who are gender-fluid and want to be called they, not he or she. I love them but honestly, in practice, it’s pretty silly as well as confusing. Everyone around them frequently forgets and they don’t push it, they tell you it’s fine. But it creates a situation where they get to tell you it’s fine. To me, this is about imposing your will on others, and not seeing the forest for the trees.

The majority of humans on this planet are, and want to be, “pronouned” as “he” or “she.” Languages evolve naturally. And this issue is a gift to the queer-haters out there. The more public this issue gets, the more it (rightly) gets ridiculed, and the less we talk about the forest: rights. Not ideology or nomenclature, but being free. Queers are oppressed and this issue is hurting us. — Nile Curtis, Kaneohe, Hawaii

Farhad Manjoo : Nile, I’m not sure you have any data to support the claim that “the majority of humans on this planet are, and want to be ‘pronouned’ as he or she.” For one thing, there are lots of very widely spoken languages that have no gender pronouns. So how do you determine what those people want?

R. Green, Akron, Ohio : Farhad, in a recent study, more than 80,000 teenagers in the United States were asked how they identify themselves, with regard to gender. The findings, published in Pediatrics , showed a combined 2.7 percent of these young people identifying themselves as transgender or gender-nonconforming. Given the physical and emotional volatility of the teenage years, this percentage is likely to be lower among adults.

Nile is right; when there are lots of bigger fish to fry, and the opponents of progress have repeatedly shown a skill for sniffing out wedge issues they can use to scare millions of people to vote against their most basic interests, this article showed a profound tone-deafness with regard to the current American political moment.

Gowan McAvity, White Plains : There is another way to look at it. Rather than seeing a change in common linguistic syntax as a minority trying to impose its will on the majority, try to see it as the majority being more compassionate toward a traditionally oppressed minority.

To evolve toward a truly inclusive society will require some change that may occasionally make the majority discombobulated. Seems a small price to pay to redress historical oppression that has been reinforced by gender labeling. Being asked to use “they” instead of “he” or “she” is not forced conversion therapy. The language police who are offended by this are joining the defenders of heterosexual oppression, whether they realize it or not.

Marilou, Montreal : The use of gender-neutral pronouns would not only be beneficial to the minority of people who are transgender or gender fluid. As Mr. Manjoo wrote, cisgender people also have gender-related norms imposed on them through language that may constrain the way they act or think about themselves.

As for the issue being a minor one, language is fundamental to our perception of ourselves and others. True equality will only be reached when it is also reflected in our speech. I agree with you that changes in language must arise from its speakers and can hardly be imposed, but that fact makes it even more important to discuss the place of gender in language, collectively.

‘The feminine pronoun can have great power’

Women are finally breaking through the walls, ceilings and barriers we have faced for generations and you think that’s the perfect time to eliminate pronouns based on sex, thus disappearing women? We know what will happen, even before the poor grammarians decide to leap off tall buildings in despair: “They is a doctor, but they is a female doctor.”

As with any other sex-neutral term, if the word has a positive connotation, it will come to mean male; if negative, female. The problem is not sex-based pronouns, but the gendered hierarchy of behaviors that define some behaviors as superior and masculine, and others as inferior and feminine. Feminism is not about men and women being equal. Feminism is a movement committed to the end of patriarchy. Radical feminists understand the difference between sex, which is biology, and gender, which is behavior. — Deborah Peifer, San Rafael, Calif.

Farhad Manjoo : Deborah, nobody is proposing eliminating any pronouns. I’m proposing adding one that is neutral on gender.

Tallulah Garnett, Oregon : Deborah, the problem isn’t the gendered hierarchy. It’s that some people don’t want to be defined by their gender or don’t fit into a male or female gender category. The English language doesn’t have a way to address them. We need to give the word “they” a new meaning to accommodate for this very real population. On a different note, you conjugated the verb “be” wrong; you should have said, “they ‘are’ a female doctor.”

Lars, France : Deborah conjugated her phrase correctly, according to nonbinary usage, which just goes to show that our current understanding of “they” as plural will pose a problem until the use becomes more common. I’m all for finding another, specific word; maybe “thee” and “thine” could come back into vogue?

Gnowxela, New York : Whatever its faults, the slogan “I’m With Her” had much more weight and significance than “I’m With Them” would have. The feminine pronoun can have great power. We just have to make it so. It’s harder work than just papering over things with ambiguous pronouns.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram .

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Gendered Pronouns & Singular “They”

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What is a pronoun? Why do people use different ones? Why are he and she not enough?

Linguistically, personal pronouns are words that refer to people by replacing proper nouns, like names. A pronoun can refer to either a person performing an action or a person who is having an action done to them. Common pronouns include they/them/theirs , she/her/hers , and he/him/his . Pronouns often indicate the gender of a person; traditionally, he refers to males while she refers to females. While the English language does not have a unique gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun, they has been used to identify singular persons in speech, popular literature, and dictionary reference materials since at least the 12th century. In fact, singular use of  they  has been officially recognized as correct  by several key bodies such as the  Associated Press , American Psychological Association (APA)  and Modern Language Association (MLA), the Oxford English Dictionary, and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Knowing that they can be used to refer to individual people allows writers to avoid defaulting to he or she in regular use. It is also important for people whose genders are neither male nor female. In the words of the Chicago Manual (17th ed.), "Some people identify not with a gender-specific pronoun but instead with the pronoun they and its forms or some other gender-neutral singular pronoun; any such preference should generally be respected."

What is gender inclusive language? What does it have to do with the OWL?

Historically, the OWL has had resources on gender inclusive language that mainly focus on incorporating women into general language—for instance, using “he or she” or just “she ” as the pronoun for a general subject, rather than always defaulting to “he." Now, the conversation on gender inclusive language has expanded further to include people whose genders are neither male nor female (e.g., gender-nonconforming, gender-neutral, genderfluid, genderqueer, or nonbinary individuals, though this list is not exhaustive). In basic terms, this means that he and she are not sufficient to describe the genders of all people, because not all people identify as either male or female. As such, the phrase “he or she” does not cover the full range of persons.

The alternative pronoun most commonly used is they , often referred to as singular they . Here’s an example:

Someone left his or her backpack behind. → Someone left their backpack behind.

Since we don’t know the gender of the person who left their backpack behind, we use they to include all genders as possibilities for that mystery person. In addition to being respectful of people of all genders, this makes the sentence shorter and easier to say. In fact, almost all of us use this language on a regular basis without even thinking about it.

While they is already a common part of the English language, especially while speaking, there are other third-person singular pronouns that have come into use that you may encounter in writing. Some of these include zie/zim/zir and sie/sie/hir . The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's LGBT Center has a chart with more options, but even this is not exhaustive.

Some things to keep in mind when using gender-inclusive pronouns:

Introducing Your Pronouns : If you are unsure of how to best ask for someone’s pronouns, you could introduce yourself and the pronouns you use. Thus, you invite the individual to give their pronouns as well if they so choose. For example:

Hello, my name is [insert], and my pronouns are she/her/hers ; he/him/his ; or they/them/theirs ; etc.

Privacy : The main thing one should avoid is making assumptions about an individual’s gender identity. There is potential danger of outing someone who is trans or nonbinary who might not want that information disclosed. Pay attention to the situation and to how people refer to themselves. Ask everyone what pronouns they use (even if you think you know). Try to get into the habit of introducing yourself and your pronouns.

Mistakes Happen : As long as you are earnestly putting forth effort to be respectful to someone’s pronouns, small mistakes can be forgiven as long as you learn from them. Being aware of gender pronouns expresses to individuals that you are an ally. People are allowed to be people and ask how to be addressed since that is inherently their right.

Why should we use this kind of language?

Isn’t this incorrect grammar?

In short, no. Grammar shifts and changes over time; for instance, the clunky he or she that a singular they replaces is actually a fairly recent introduction into the language. Singular they has been used for a long time and is often used in casual situations; you probably do it yourself without realizing it. We are simply witnessing a reorientation of the rule, mostly with the intention of including more people in language.

When individuals whose gender is neither male nor female (e.g. nonbinary, agender, genderfluid, etc.) use the singular they to refer to themselves, they are using the language to express their identities. Adopting this language is one way writers can be inclusive of a broader range of people and identities.

Isn’t this political?

Conversations around language, gender and sexuality have always been political, as Dr. John d’Emilio, Professor of History and Gender and Women's Studies Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has discussed in his numerous publications . However, using gender-inclusive language and gender-neutral pronouns is not just a move for the sake of political correctness. As mentioned above, these practices are becoming officially recognized by language organizations and other official bodies. Recently, the Chicago Manual Style and the Associated Press (AP) style book have both announced that they will be accepting they/them/their as an example of a singular and/or gender-neutral pronoun. The American Dialect Society crowned singular  they its word of the year in 2015. That same year, the Oxford Dictionaries website added the honorific Mx , defining it as "a title used before a person's surname or full name by those who wish to avoid specifying their gender or by those who prefer not to identify themselves as male or female” (OED Online).

Is this just a trend?

Gender neutral pronouns were not invented in the modern period—they have a vast and long history. The Oxford English Dictionary’s first citation for a gender-neutral, indefinite they is from about 1375 from the romance of William of Palerne. The use of they as an indefinite pronoun which refers to people in general has been used even longer. The singular they even appears in 1382 in Wycliffe’s translation of the Bible. Additionally, in Much Ado about Nothing, Shakespeare uses they in the line, “To strange sores, strangely they straine the cure” (see OED Online). In fact, it wasn’t until the 18th century that some grammarians declared the singular they to be invalid because it couldn’t take a singular antecedent, ignoring the conceptual meaning people across genres were using. However, at the same time, you was undergoing this exact change. Despite this, famous writers such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen continued to use the singular they throughout the 19th century. The singular they has been prominently used in English throughout history and is a legitimate use of language. However, it has only been recently, with the changing conception of gender and society’s growing acceptance of non-binary individuals, that gender-neutral pronouns have been more widely discussed.

How can I learn more about gender inclusive language?

The Chicago Manual of Style on Singular They

Oxford Dictionary Entry for They

NCTE Position Statement on Gender-Fair Use of Language

American Dialect Society on singular They as 2015 word of the year

University of Wisconsin-Madison on Using Gender–Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing

You might also be interested in these resources:

LGBTQ+ Center at Purdue's Terminology List

University of Minnesota's List of Nonbinary Gender Pronouns

American Psychological Association (APA) LGBT Resources and Publications

Works Cited

“They, pron., adj., adv., and n.” OED Online , Oxford University Press, June 2017.

Inclusive Writing Guide (English)

• Ability and Disability
• Ethnicity and Race
• Class Discrimination and Socio-Economic Status

Gender and Sexuality

Library search .

Oppressive language does more than represent violence; it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge; it limits knowledge. Toni   Morrison , African-American Novelist 

Gendered , heteronormative and sexist language persists as an unfortunate reflection of the attitudes and norms within our society. English has very few gender markers, and those that do exist are mostly pronouns and possessives (such as he/she and her/his) and gendered forms of address (Mr/Ms). Most English nouns are gender-neutral and only a few have specifically feminine or masculine forms (waiter/waitress). Therefore, the main challenge for gender and sexuality inclusive writing in English is to move beyond the assumptions and biases that our work may carry.

Even if your work does not address issues of gender identity, sex or sexuality directly, being mindful of language is sure to have a positive impact on your writing. The use of gender-inclusive language seeks to respect and acknowledge all gender identities and remove assumptions of a patriarchal morphological structure . While the use of sexuality-inclusive language avoids heteronormative norms and embraces all sexual orientations . Adapting our language then, is a simple but rewarding step toward a more inclusive society.

• The Content

APA Style Guide - Gender  

The American Psychological Association's (APA) Style Guide on Gender presents readers with a simple but thorough exploration of writing about gender and using gender-inclusive language. Beginning with explanations of key terms that enhance understanding of concepts related to gender and sexuality, the guide aims to provide readers with all the information needed from the outset. It then goes on to set out an elaborate set of guidelines with examples highlighting the commonly problematic v. preferred ways of writing. Overall, the guide encompasses all a writer (and an amateur at gender-inclusive writing)  may need to know in order to enhance the accessibility of their language. 

Radical Copyeditor

The Radical Copyeditor's Style Guide For Writing About Transgender People

What's in a Word: Queer

Ask a Radical Copyeditor: What's the Best Way to Refer to Everyone Who Isn't Cis?

The  APA Style Guide - Gender  is published by the American Psychological Association, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. Comprising of one of the largest research groups in the country, it represents the cumulative effort of more than 133,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Aiming to utilise psychology to make a positive impact on critical societal issues, the APA has recently launched its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) program. This style guide is one of the many substantive works created as part of the program.

The  Radical Copyeditor  is a blog helmed by Alex Kapitan. Queer and genderqueer spiritual activist, educator and organizer, and radical copyeditor, Kapitan found zir inspiration working at the South End Press, a majority women of color–run book publishing collective. 

Resource Bank

• Gender, Sex + Sexuality (Conscious Style Guide) A guide devoted to conscious language, it covers a wide-range of terminology for various communities and makes available links to key articles debating usage. Contains numerous categorised sections, one of which lists out multiple resources that may further assist users. Recommended for the regular updates made to the content and diversity of resources.
• The Language of Gender A comprehensive list of Gender and Sexuality related terms. These terms are offered as a starting place for dialogue and understanding, which begins by clarifying their usage, rather than asserting that they represent the final or only definition of the various terms. The resource is recommended for its mindful approach to inclusive language and simple explanations.
• Language around gender and identity evolves (and always has) | Archie Crowley

Academic Writing

• APA Style Guide - Sexual Orientation An extensive, well-organised guide covering a range of terms related to sexual orientation, commonly used inaccurate or pejorative terms with examples of bias-free language. Published by the the American Psychological Society (APA), this guide ranks among the most credible sources on our resource recommendations. more... less... 6 min read
• Gender-Inclusive Language A handout aimed at helping you make decisions about using gendered language in your writing. With a special focus on academic writing, it covers a wide range of material, including an especially important section focusing on the content rather than simply the structure of the writer's work. Its straightforward but thorough explanations make it a must-recommend resource on our list. more... less... 13 min read
• Style Guide for Gender-Inclusive Writing A brief but interesting work, this style guide is the go-to read for understanding the manner in which contemporary academic style guides approach gender-inclusive writing. This guide is recommended for its wide-range of sources which it attempts to summarise for the convenience of the audience. more... less... 5 min read

Media and Journalism

• GLAAD Media Reference Guide - 11th Edition A guide covering a wide range of topics with LGBTQ people as the focus, it aims to assist its in telling LGBTQ people's stories in ways that bring out the best in journalism. Containing a comprehensive set of resources on each topic, the guide makes its non-prescriptive nature evident from the beginning, and that's why it's one of our favourites!
• Style Guide (Trans Journalist Association) Written with the aim of improving trans media coverage, this guide goes beyond the writing process to suggest measures individuals in the field of journalism may take to ensure accurate and sensitive coverage of trans communities. The guide's extensive 'Terms and Phrases to Avoid' and 'Glossary of Terms' sections are a major reason for its appearance on our list.
• Terminology - NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists Regularly updated, this stylebook seeks to be a guide on language and terminology to help journalists cover LGBTQ subjects and issues with sensitivity and fairness. The guide goes out of its way to address a range of topics that reference prevalent issues in historical and contemporary LGBTQ media coverage, making it one of our recommended resources.

Legal Writing

• Gender-Free Legal Writing A longer read, this detailed handout entwines brief explanations of the various historical debates surrounding the use of inclusive language in the legal field, with its discussion of writing techniques and generic solutions for the same. Its neutral approach to guidance and attempt to allow different camps a space for their arguments is the reason it's one of our favourites!
• Gender-inclusive writing A style guide written for Social Security Tribunal of Canada (SST) members, this work attempts to make legal decisions easy to read, easy to understand, consistent and above all, inclusive. Although discussion on gender-inclusive writing is limited, the brief explanations are supported by examples and surely make guidance much more comprehensible for its audience.
• Legistics Gender-neutral Language

Business 

• A Field Guide to Gender-Neutral Language: For Business, Families & Allies A guide that shares concrete, practical suggestions, regarding methods for incorporating gender-inclusive language into everyday life with a comprehensive discussion on the differences in biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation and gender expression. This field guide is recommended for its unique take on the positive impacts of inclusivity in the workspace and beyond.
• An Employer’s Guide to Using Gender-Inclusive Language in the Workplace Aiming at bringing commonly used buzzwords in the corporate world such as 'Diversity' and 'Inclusion' into reality, this article begins with the assumption that the reader knows nothing. Although a longer read as a whole, it takes its time to explain each aspect of gender and sexuality inclusive writing in compact and comprehensible sections. Its thoroughness and easy-to-follow flow make it a definite read!
• A Guide to Gender Neutral Language in Business Writing One of the shortest guides on our list, this work focuses on providing a review of gender inclusive language(s) and how they can lead to an equitable workforce. With only a brief section dedicated to suggestions on concrete ways to adapt your writing, this guide makes it on our list as a read for those attempting to understand the 'how's' and 'why's' of the impact of inclusive language.

Correspondence and Forms

• gender-inclusive writing: correspondence (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau) A comprehensive article produced by the Government of Canada's Translation Bureau, it covers basic tips and explanations on making your correspondence (emails and letters) more relatable through the use of gender-inclusive writing. This article is recommended for its clear organization and easy-to-understand suggestions.
• Inclusive Forms Well-structured, this article is perhaps one of our best sources on writing inclusive forms (specifically in the university context). Separated into a set of smaller sections, the article finds its way on our list for its addition of example forms that give readers a better sense of how to put its suggestions into practice.
• TRANS* INCLUSION - Takes Different Forms A handout by the Canadian Aids Society, this work discusses general guidelines for forms and surveys that ask individuals to fill out information related to gender, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation. Divided by the kind of data readers need their own audiences to fill out, the examples drawn out in each section make the handout an easy-read. The inclusion of 'notes' with each example make for more detailed explanations of the choices made.
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Published December 16, 2019

Gender, Pronouns, and Coming Out in Your Application

Kennedy Carlick

Senior Assistant Director, NYU Admissions

When I’m recruiting for NYU, I often answer questions from LGBTQ+ high school students who want to know if it is OK to “come out” in their college applications. Understandably, some students worry that this decision could negatively impact the outcome of their application.

Coming out is a unique experience for every LGBTQ+ person who decides to do so. It can be stressful, exciting, anxiety-inducing, and joyful—all at the same time! Your college application is an opportunity to introduce yourself, and you have every right to be your full self in the application. 

Fortunately, many universities, like NYU, affirm and celebrate LGBTQ+ applicants and students. However, make sure that you remember that the Common Application is, well, common! The information you fill out in the Common Application will be viewed by all the colleges you use it to apply to, including those that might not be as inclusive or LGBTQ+ friendly. 

If you decide that you want to disclose your identities in your application, here are some tips to keep in mind when completing your college applications.

Do Your Research!

If a college campus is not supportive of the LGBTQ+ community and you’re looking for a supportive environment for your college experience, you may want to consider if that college should remain on your list. Once you can identify that a college is supportive of LGBTQ+ students, feel free to use your preferred name and pronouns and to disclose your identities throughout the application—if you want to!

Preferred Name, Gender Identity, and Legal Sex

If you are applying to a college that utilizes the Common Application, you will be able to apply with a preferred name in addition to your legal name. Keep in mind that colleges may use your preferred name for official communications—both via email and print. At NYU, we use your preferred name. The only exception is your offer of admission, which will have your legal name as it appears on official documents. Make sure that you’re comfortable with something being emailed or mailed home with your preferred name before you fill out this question. Otherwise, leave your preferred name blank.

You will also be able to apply with your gender identity in addition to your legal sex. The Common Application gives you the options of “male” and “female” and also allows you to “share more about your gender identity.” This is an opportunity to share your gender identity and pronouns.

Supporting Documents

If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, you can ask the people writing your letters of recommendation to use your preferred name and pronouns instead of your legal name. When it comes to your privacy, you can rest assured that anything you write about in your application or essay is protected by student privacy laws. The name, pronouns, or identities you disclose in your Common Application are private, only between you and NYU.

Documents submitted through the Common App, such as transcripts or letters of recommendation, will seamlessly be matched to your application record. If something is mailed or emailed separately, have the sender include your Common App ID or NYU ID number to help with matching —regardless of what name they use.

Test scores, such as the SAT or ACT, that come directly from the testing agency are sent under your legal name. Because you provide that on the Common Application, it’s easy to match.

College Essay

When it comes to the essay portion of the application, you can disclose your identity and pronouns, as long as it fits within the scope of the prompt. Think of your college essay as your first time meeting a new person, and the chance to make a good first impression. Make sure your essay has a positive message, and helps the reader learn more about you.

Students often choose to write about challenges or forms of adversity that they’ve dealt with. Just be sure that if you choose to write an essay about facing adversity, whether it is related to your identity or not, that you frame the topic positively. It’s OK to talk about a challenge or a form of adversity that you ran up against in your life, but make sure that the majority of the essay is about how you have overcome this challenge or how you have grown and matured due to the challenging experience or circumstance. It can be easy to write most of the essay about the challenge or the adverse circumstances. Remember to ask yourself: “What does this say about me, my strengths, my personal growth, and my abilities?” Your essay should help the reader of your application get to know your best self.

The college application process is a daunting and exciting time precisely because you have the opportunity to present your own narrative, your own identity, your own story! Remember that you deserve to be authentically known in your own college application process. Whether or not you’re in a position to safely and comfortably “come out” in your college applications, know that there are admissions counselors, college professors, and future peers who are rooting for you.

If you have any questions about gender diversity and LGBTQ+ life at NYU, feel free to contact the author directly at [email protected] .

Kennedy Carlick is a Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at NYU. A New Jersey local, you can often find them hiking a trail or sleeping under the stars. They recruit students from Ohio, northern New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Maine and enjoy helping students find their way to their best fit college. Kennedy enjoys reading and writing about gender, birdwatching, and spending time with their beloved pet rabbit, Louise. If you see them around NYU, feel free to stop and chat about the local bird species- especially the pigeons of Washington Square Park!

More from Kennedy:

Finding Your College Fit as an International Student

How do you figure out if a school is the right fit when you can’t visit? Check out Eudora’s tips for international students about how to approach the college search process.

How to Approach the Common Application

There’s no wrong way to approach the Common Application, but here’s two different strategies you might want to choose from when you apply to NYU.

5 Tips to Get Your NYU Application Submitted

Here’s a bonus tip: don’t wait until the last minute.

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About 5% of young adults in the U.S. say their gender is different from their sex assigned at birth

At a time when transgender and nonbinary Americans are gaining visibility in the media and among the public, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that 1.6% of U.S. adults are transgender or nonbinary – that is, their gender differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Respondents were classified as transgender or nonbinary if they answered the sex and gender questions in any of the following ways: 1. If they said they describe themselves as nonbinary or volunteered a term such as “gender fluid” or “agender” to describe their gender 2. If they said their sex assigned at birth was male and they describe themselves as a woman, and then confirmed that was accurate in the GENDERCONFIRM question 3. If they said their sex assigned at birth was female and they describe themselves as a man, and then confirmed that was accurate in the GENDERCONFIRM question

The questions used for this classification are below, along with instructions for the survey administrator. The GENDERCONFIRM question is used to avoid misclassifying respondents who made an error when answering the sex or gender questions as transgender. This type of error can have an outsize effect on estimates of small populations such as the transgender and nonbinary population, making it appear larger than it really is. Some federal surveys use this approach.

[DISPLAY SEX AND GENDERNEW ON THE SAME SCREEN]

DISPLAY TO ALL: Now just a couple of questions for demographic purposes …

ASK ALL: SEX What sex were you assigned at birth, on your original birth certificate? [RANDOMIZE RESPONSE OPTIONS]

1 Male 2 Female

ASK ALL: GENDERNEW Do you describe yourself as a man, a woman, nonbinary or in some other way? [DISPLAY RESPONSE OPTIONS 1 AND 2 IN SAME ORDER AS SEX]

1 A man 2 A woman 3 Nonbinary 4 In some other way: [text box]

ASK IF SEX AND GENDERNEW DO NOT MATCH ((SEX=1 AND GENDERNEW=2) OR (SEX=2 AND GENDERNEW=1) OR (SEX=1 AND GENDERNEW=3) OR (SEX=2 AND GENDERNEW=3)): GENDERCONFIRM Just to confirm, you were assigned [IF MALE AT BIRTH (SEX=1): male ; IF FEMALE AT BIRTH (SEX=2): female ] at birth and you describe yourself as [IF GENDER IS MAN (GENDERNEW=1): a man ; IF GENDER IS WOMAN (GENDERNEW=2): a woman ; IF GENDER IS NONBINARY (GENDERNEW=3): nonbinary ] . Is that correct?

Meanwhile, a rising share of Americans say they know someone who is transgender. This analysis accompanies an essay that examines the experiences and views of trans and nonbinary adults based on a series of focus groups.

Adults under 30 are more likely than older adults to be trans or nonbinary. Some 5.1% of adults younger than 30 are trans or nonbinary, including 2.0% who are a trans man or trans woman and 3.0% who are nonbinary – that is, they are neither a man nor a woman or aren’t strictly one or the other. (Due to rounding, subtotals may not add up to the total.) This compares with 1.6% of 30- to 49-year-olds and 0.3% of those 50 and older who are trans or nonbinary.

The share of U.S. adults who are transgender is particularly high among adults younger than 25. In this age group, 3.1% are a trans man or a trans woman, compared with just 0.5% of those ages 25 to 29. There is no statistically significant difference between these two age groups in the share who are nonbinary or the total share who are trans or nonbinary.

Pew Research Center conducted this study to estimate the share of Americans whose gender is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. The study also explores the share of Americans who know someone who is transgender and the share who know someone who is nonbinary. These findings are part of a larger survey of the general public on their attitudes about gender identity and issues related to people who are transgender or nonbinary. Other survey results will be released later this summer.

This analysis accompanies findings from six focus groups that study the experiences and views of transgender and nonbinary adults.

This analysis is based on a survey of 10,188 U.S. adults. The data was collected as a part of a larger survey conducted May 16-22, 2022. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way, nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology . Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

A rising share of adults say they know a transgender person

While a relatively small share of U.S. adults are transgender or nonbinary, many say they know someone who is. More than four-in-ten (44%) say they personally know someone who is trans and 20% know someone who is nonbinary.

The share of adults who know someone who is transgender has increased from 42% in 2021 and from 37% in 2017.

Today, roughly half of adults younger than 30 and those 30 to 49 say they know a trans person – higher than the share among older Americans. Still, a third of those 65 and older report knowing someone who is trans.

Democrats and independents who lean to the Democratic Party are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to say they know a transgender person, but Republicans are catching up. As recently as June 2021 , 48% of Democrats said they knew a trans person, compared with 35% of Republicans – a gap of 13 percentage points. Today, 48% of Democrats and 42% of Republicans say this – a gap of just 6 points.

About a quarter of U.S. adults say they have a trans friend (27%), while 13% say they have a co-worker who is trans and 10% say they have a transgender family member. About one-in-ten adults (9%) say they know a trans person who is younger than 18.

When asked if they know someone who doesn’t identify as a man or a woman, 20% of U.S. adults say they do. The share is higher among younger adults, those living in urban and suburban communities, those with higher levels of education, and Democrats.

Most Americans (79%) say they have heard at least a little about people not being a man or a woman and instead describing themselves as not having a gender or using terms such as “nonbinary” or “gender fluid” to describe their gender. But only 26% say they have heard a lot about this concept.

Young adults are far more likely to be familiar with this than their older counterparts. About four-in-ten adults younger than 30 (42%) say they have heard a lot about being nonbinary, compared with 31% of those 30 to 49, 20% of those 50 to 64 and 12% of those 65 and older. Still, even older adults have at least some passing familiarity with the idea: Two-thirds of those 65 and older say they have heard at least a little.

A 2021 Pew Research Center survey found that 26% of U.S. adults personally knew someone who goes by gender-neutral pronouns such as “they” instead of “he” or “she,” up from 18% in 2018 .

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis, along with responses, and its methodology .

• Gender Identity
• LGBTQ Acceptance
• Younger Adults

Anna Brown is a research associate focusing on social and demographic trends research at Pew Research Center

Who Are You? The Art and Science of Measuring Identity

5 key findings about lgbtq+ americans, black americans firmly support gender equality but are split on transgender and nonbinary issues   , black democrats differ from other democrats in their views on gender identity, transgender issues, parents differ sharply by party over what their k-12 children should learn in school, most popular.

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How to Use Gender-Neutral Pronouns in Academic Writing?

Often when you’re completing academic writing, especially essays, you need to use pronouns. In academic writing, the use of the word you is unacceptable. You can find yourself in a sticky situation, deciding upon gender-neutral pronouns in your academic writing.

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How can students deal with it?

In most situations today, it seems more tolerant to use they . Using only masculine or feminine pronouns, you might offend a non-binary person (someone who doesn’t associate themselves with male or female genders exclusively).

That’s why the singular they is an optimal choice for academic or any other type of writing. Moreover, it’s more compact and comfortable to pronounce—you don’t have to list both female and male pronouns.Nonetheless, you may want to read this article to see the history of the issue and the gender-neutral pronouns list. Our team collected different pronouns that people use in the English language to express the neutral gender.

🔹 Frequent Questions

🔴 academic use of gender pronouns, 🔵 gender-neutral pronouns list, 🔶 transgender pronouns thon and ze.

Nowadays, our society has become more and more tolerant towards and understanding of gender differences. Thanks to LGBT activists, gender-neutral pronouns have cemented their position in daily life.

For example, Facebook now allows its users to choose “custom” in the field for gender. According to ABC News , the social media platform uses 58 options: agender, genderqueer, trans, pangender, etc.

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Even more importantly:

Harvard University allows students to choose among several proper pronouns on their registration forms. With such options as ze and they , the university has made real progress in this area.

Gender-neutral pronouns are a topic that is changing a lot all the time. That’s why you may have a lot of questions.

Discover the most frequently asked questions to give you the newest information on the topic.

• What Is Gender-Neutral? You can often hear this phrase from LGBT supporters. But what does it mean? According to the Cambridge Dictionary , gender-neutral means relating to people regardless of gender, neither to men or women in particular. The goal of gender neutrality is to avoid discrimination. The central idea, consequently, is to eliminate all the differences between the genders.
• What Does Non-Binary Mean? People are generally familiar with two genders: male and female. But non-binary is a term used to describe those who aren’t male or female or who are both male and female. Remember: You can’t always identify someone else’s gender. Neither their appearance, behavior nor sexual orientation are reliable signs of gender. That’s why you should be careful when choosing the words you use to describe people. Many supporters of gender-neutral expression write on social media, something like, “Ask me about my pronouns.” Pay attention to such appeals.
• What Is a Third Person Pronoun? A third-person pronoun is a word that is used to talk about another person. For example, she , he , and they are typical examples of third-person pronouns.
• Why Do We Use Pronouns? What Does a Pronoun Do? Pronouns are an essential part of almost any language. They are used to take the place of a noun.
• Are They a Singular or Plural Pronoun? They is a plural pronoun. It’s used to describe two or more subjects: Jimmy and Tom stayed in the class until 4 PM. They worked on a project. It’s also used to set gender neutrality in the form of the singular they : One should complete their studies before dinner.
• When to Use They? Singular they is a gender-neutral pronoun that is officially accepted by many institutions. In academic and juridical writing, it’s stylistically correct to use the singular they when talking about people. Here’s an example: If a person comes in a room, you can describe that action in the following way: They opened the door and came into the room.
• What Is a He/She? He/she is a typical use of a third-person word. It is often used in academic writing to show that the author doesn’t know the gender of a person.
• What Are Preferred Pronouns? Nowadays, society accepts the idea of non-binary gender. So, everyone is free to choose the pronoun that they associate themselves with. The pronoun a person chooses would be their preferred pronoun.
• Ms .—it’s a female title to add before a woman’s surname. It doesn’t show marital status but does sound respectful.
• This title was later developed into Mx .—a version that was created for gender-neutrality purposes. Many LGBT members of society use this title when unaware of the person’s preferred pronouns.
• What is the Associated Press Stylebook? The AP Stylebook is a stylistic guide that contains grammar and punctuation rules. It was developed by journalists for other writers and includes editorial commentaries on terminology, photo captions, formatting, and bibliographies.

All in all:

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In this article, you’ll learn about the modern ways of using third-person pronouns. Now you can distinguish between gender-neutral pronouns in academic writing and communication.

Custom-writing.org advises you to be careful when choosing pronouns to stay respectful and avoid hurting anyone’s feelings. You can recognize a pronoun by its goal in the sentence. Try to use the same pronouns that people identify themselves with.

While society is struggling with the choice of universal identifying pronouns, students still have to accomplish lots of academic writing. And with any academic work, it’s essential to stick to rules and norms, even under constantly changing conditions.

For example, let’s say that your goal is to talk about animal welfare. You begin with: “Once a person adopts a pet…” And here comes the trouble right away. “He,” “she,” “they”—which one should you use? Are there any neutral pronouns? Or is it necessary to rewrite the sentence altogether?

There are several typical uses of pronouns in such cases.

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• When you’re talking about males only, use masculine pronouns: When one decides to grow a beard, he should prepare to spend some money.
• When you talk about females only, use feminine pronouns: On Mother’s Day, every woman gets a discount on her favorite cosmetics brand.
• When genders are mixed, show the gender-neutral identity in one of these three ways: Once a person adopts a pet, he or she should fill out a document. Once a person adopts a pet, s/he should fill out a document. Once a person adopts a pet, they should fill out a document.

The last option is the most popular. It is called the “singular they” and is used in connection with the singular person. It was already in use in the late 1300s, and now it has gotten its popularity back.

With all its advantages, they is still a plural pronoun, which confuses many speakers and writers. Of course, specialists say that it doesn’t sound weird, just like the single word you is okay both for singular and plural forms. But still, the following question interests a broad range of people:

Are there any other non-gender pronouns?

The answer is: yes.

There’s a whole gender-neutral pronoun list—with lots of options to choose from.

There’s been a long history of the neutral pronouns’ development. Thanks to the LGBT community, we now have a nice list of them.

And you can read them right now! Who knows—maybe in just a year or two, we will all be using one of these options.

Here are some examples with their nominative, accusative, and possessive forms:

This is just a short personal pronouns list, but there are many more examples. You can find all of them online.

If you’re interested in seeing these words in action, here are some examples of Alice in Wonderland with the pronouns changed to some of those mentioned above.

But if there are so many variants, why do we still not use any of them?

The main reason lies in the lack of unity between the supporters of gender-neutral pronouns. Because there are so many options, society hasn’t settled on just one of them. Moreover, new variants are constantly being developed. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to use an online word rewriter to make your text better.

As people haven’t stuck to one option, it’s been difficult to try to popularize any of them. However, a couple of variants have been more successful than others. We’re going to discuss them in the next section.

You can see from any pronoun chart just how many gender pronouns appear every year. Still, we have two main options (not including they ) that have made enormous progress.

Thon pronoun appeared in the late 1800s. It is a contraction of the phrase “that one” and was first offered by an American attorney.

In the 20th century, this pronoun was actively used, even by periodicals. Later it was added to the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Then, it found its way into several other dictionaries.

Thon asked for help, and I showed thon the way.

When making a camp, thon should beware of wild animals.

When thon sister is upset, thon always supports thon .

It was a popular word for a time. But then it came to light that not many people accepted this idea. The most significant reason for this was the similarity of the various word forms.

While male and female pronouns have two or more different forms for the nominative, accusative, and possessive forms, all forms of thon are the same:

This confusion with forms kept thon pronoun from becoming a universally accepted decision. In this way, the singular they was much better.

There was a surprising piece of news recently. It claimed that Oxford University insisted on its students using the gender-neutral pronoun ze instead of anything else. Although later Oxford University revealed that this was not true, the popularity of this transgender pronoun has grown.

That would be misgendering and would likely have the biggest impact on individuals (i.e., some trans students) who may already be struggling to get people to use ‘he’ or ‘she’ for them. It would be totally counterproductive. Oxford University commented

Its forms are: ze (hir, hir)

A lot of people use this pronoun in everyday life, but there are still a lot of battles to be won.

For example, PinkNews has noted that journalists are banned from using ze in reports. The Associated Press Stylebook forbids journalists from using xe, ze, and other transgender pronouns. According to their ideas, the usage of these words can confuse readers. While everyone knows about the singular they , people may not be prepared for variations of genderless pronouns.

As long as newspapers have to clarify things, it’s not a great choice to confuse people by adding new terminology. That’s why the use of the singular they has become more and more popular.

The rules of journalism can also help academic writers decide which third-person pronoun to use in their papers. As long as the AP Stylebook is a trusted source, students can apply their rules to any essay, report, or dissertation writing.

Let’s highlight the main points:

• There is a lengthy personal pronouns chart to choose from. It grows every year and includes many variants of neutral pronouns.
• The main hindrance to accepting a universal gender-neutral pronoun is the lack of unity between supporters of LGBT pronouns.
• Many organizations do accept the use of transgender pronouns (universities, social media platforms, etc.).
• There have been several hopeful attempts at gender-neutral pronouns (ze, thon), but society didn’t accept them.
• The Associated Press Stylebook has accepted the use of the singular they.

Thanks for reading the article. We hope it cleared a few misconceptions about gender-neutral pronouns in academic writing. Share it with your friends who might be interested and leave a comment below.

• Gender Pronouns: LGBT Resource Center
• She? Ze? They? What’s In a Gender Pronoun: Jessica Bennett for the New York Times
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May 3, 2019

Actually, We Should Not All Use They/Them Pronouns

A response to a recent Scientific American essay

By Alex Hanna , Nikki L Stevens , Os Keyes & Maliha Ahmed

Getty Images

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Abigail Saguy and Julie Williams recently published an op-ed on the Scientific American website advocating that we begin addressing everyone with gender-neutral pronouns (“they,” “them”) rather than binary-gendered pronouns (“he,” “him” or “she,” “her”). They assert the act of gendering highlights gender when it is not relevant in social interaction.

For instance, they draw on data from audit studies showing that when a job candidate is identified as a woman, this identification puts the candidate at a stark disadvantage. They draw on psychological work which suggests that even the act of drawing attention to one’s own gender can lead to poorer performance on cognitive tests.

As a corrective, they suggest something of a “universal design” approach. They argue that using the gender-neutral third-person pronoun “they” could reduce discrimination and bias in social situations, and even reduce the cognitive load on the person being gendered. As a parallel, Saguay and Williams offer the quick adoption of “Ms.” as a model for moving rapidly past restrictive gender norms, and advocate for a similar adoption of “they/them” pronouns.

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We are writing here as as a mix of queer, nonwhite, non-American, bicultural, trans people, and we share Saguy and Williams’ political bent. We firmly understand that the impacts of gender are felt unequally, in light of both our lived experience and our research in sociology, gender, technology, and linguistics. Transgender and gender-nonconforming (abbreviated below as trans/GNC) people, particularly transfeminine people of color, are disproportionately and in some ways uniquely victimized by the rigid and specific ways that Western society views, constructs and penalizes nonheteronormative and noncisnormative gender performances and identities. This unique position with regards to the structures of gender is precisely why scholars of gender have been studying and examining trans/GNC lives for decades.

However, we strongly disagree with their proposal. Fundamentally, a move toward gender-neutral pronouns ignores the important work that gendered pronouns perform in everyday life. For many trans/GNC people, gender is an important part of their identity and actively avoiding the act of gendering manifests as another form of violence—a violence that trans/GNC people have been fighting against throughout the long history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S) experience.

Furthermore, this proposal is embedded in a particularly Western approach to language. Languages that don’t have gendered pronouns are still riddled with strong gendered norms. In some ways, those languages make it even more difficult to signify a confirmation of trans/GNC identity. Lastly, it’s important that in this kind of research, researchers treat trans/GNC subjects as active agents in the production of knowledge, rather than as objects of study. We worry that this research, although it claims to engage with LGBTQIA2S people, has failed to do so in a way that encounters us as people, rather than as conceptual stand-ins.

First, this proposal isn’t well-founded in prior research, nor is the proposal supported by how Saguy and Williams characterize their own data. Their qualitative research suggests that announcing pronouns signals to trans/GNC people that they “are going to be welcome in this space.” However, based on these data, Saguy and Williams suggest that the inverse should be true: that taking pronouns out of the equation altogether would avoid a gendered interaction and therefore make more situations inclusive.

This view contradicts both our own experiences and scholars’ prior research on misgendering. Misgendering—that is, addressing someone by the incorrect pronoun or honorific—is a form of microaggression . The act of misgendering denies the gendered and human legitimacy of trans people , and causes significant negative psychological effects , including reduced sense of self-worth, anxiety, depression and a feeling of hypervigilance and surveillance.

Second, this proposal takes a Western-centric view of language and ignores the fact that there are languages that already exist without gendered pronouns. Bangla, for instance, is such a language. However, this doesn’t have the effect of reducing gender inequality, nor does it reduce the cisnormative desire to categorize by gender. Bengali speakers, like English speakers, will violate conversational norms by asking extra questions to find out someone’s gender, and will rely on gendered nouns to provide information that gender-neutral pronouns will not ( Bondhu or bandhobi ? A male friend or female friend?).

Moreover, Bengalis still cue their gender in myriad ways other than pronouns; women are still looked down upon for having feminine signifiers. These effects don’t disappear when gendered pronouns are removed. Getting rid of gendered pronouns as a means of addressing gender inequalities would be the equivalent of treating symptoms without treating the root of the illness. Enforcing ungendered pronouns will not necessarily trigger a change in someone who is unconsciously biased against women and feminine people, but it would contribute to harm of trans/GNC people by taking away one of the more usefully subtle ways to discuss topics where gender is contextually salient.

Lastly, for authors talking about alleviating gendered discrimination and oppression, Saguy and Williams manage to get almost all of the way through their piece without mentioning trans/GNC existences. When they do, it is phrased euphemistically: “people who have experienced the pain of being denied gender recognition in the past.” This phrasing elides the fact that gendered terms of address are not meaningless—if they were, their elimination would presumably not be sought—but deeply meaningful, particularly to people who are not represented in Saguy and Williams’ narrative.

This evasion is presumably because considering trans/GNC needs, talking to trans/GNC people and taking trans/GNC experiences of gender seriously would reveal a much more complicated narrative. For instance, Saguy and Williams cite evidence that women will seek gender-anonymity in online spaces to avoid gendered judgements. However, Oliver Haimson and other scholars who work at the intersection of trans/GNC issues and technology point out how online spaces offer affordances that allow those people to explore their gender expression and identity.

Considering trans perspectives would reveal a range of concerns with these proposals, mostly centered around their practicality and tmaterial consequences. Suppose we were to take their suggestion seriously, and begin insisting on gender-neutral pronouns everywhere. What would happen then? What would it mean for those of us who have fought to have our gender recognized as women, who have fought seemingly endless amounts of administrative red tape—what transgender legal scholar Dean Spade calls administrative violence —to have that erased? And how does this proposal factor in the history of misogynistic and trans-erasing narratives in this world of scholarship—a history that has often consisted of punishing and shaming trans women for asserting femininity, with the precise argument that this is somehow reinforcing the patriarchy?

Taking away gendered pronouns is premised on the idea that simplification will lead to a flattening of gender disparity, but this work must consider the real-world conditions of the people who are the subject of multiple intersecting oppressions—of sexism, racism, transmisogyny and poverty—and begin with their concerns, rather than moving away from nuance of their lived experience.

It must begin with substantial, dramatic alterations that improve lives and factor in the concerns of trans/GNC people, particularly trans/GNC people of color, rather than changes that apply a universalizing view to what gender is and who is subject to it. We invite Saguy and Williams to revisit their data with an eye towards a liberatory politics that engages with and amplifies these voices , rather than papers them over with a bland and homogenizing universalism

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April 26, 2024

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Research finds pronoun use not only shaped by language but also beliefs

by University of New Hampshire

Pronouns like "he" and "she" are at the center of much debate as society tries to shift to using more gender-inclusive pronouns like "they"—especially when referring to those with identities that do not fit with traditional pronouns. Research at the University of New Hampshire looked at the use of pronouns in two different languages—including one where all pronouns are identity neutral—and found that people's use of pronouns reflects not just the language they speak but also their ideologies.

"Most people want to be thoughtful and inclusive and say they are open to using pronouns like 'they' and 'them' but in reality it can often be hard for some to make the shift," said April Bailey, assistant professor of psychology and lead author. "We wanted take a closer look at societal attitudes about pronoun use and see if it was connected to the language they speak and their beliefs about identity."

In their research , published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , the researchers asked a series of questions about pronouns to participants from two languages, English and Turkish, that have very different pronoun systems.

English pronouns commonly denote binary gender, for example "he" for men and "she" for women. In the Turkish language, pronouns are identity-neutral, for example, "o" can refer to "he," "she" or "it" depending on the noun it refers to. There are not any specific masculine or feminine pronouns.

In a series of three studies, participants were asked to evaluate different types of real and hypothetical pronouns, including binary gender pronouns, race pronouns and identity-neutral pronouns. The researchers found that both groups generally endorsed the pronouns that were most familiar and common in their respective languages. English-speaking participants mostly endorsed binary gender pronouns, like "he" and "she." Turkish-speaking participants mostly endorsed identity-neutral pronouns, like "o."

The researchers also found that participants' answers reflected specific ideologies so they looked at the social-cognitive process—how people process, store and apply information—to see how that affects the reasoning around pronouns.

Among both English and Turkish speaking participants, those who were high in essentialist ideologies about identity—assuming people are inherently and permanently either male or female—also endorsed binary gender pronouns and race pronouns more, showing that ideological beliefs can influence beliefs about pronouns.

"Similar to other function words, like conjunctions, pronouns are some of the most frequently used words in any language," said Bailey. "However, unlike those other words, pronouns can encode social information that may shape a person's beliefs and how they reason about their social world."

The researchers say there are valid debates on both sides of the issues—why gender pronouns are helpful and also how they can alienate some non-binary individuals. For instance, using "she" can make women more visible when referring to a more male-dominated field. However, those who point to drawbacks feel binary gender pronouns exclude non-binary individuals.

They say language can shape how people think and despite recent trends toward using "they" and "them" more often, traditional gender pronouns, like "he" and "she," are still used more often. The researchers hope their work will shine a light on why many English speakers struggle with using gender -neutral pronouns like "they" and "them" and contribute to theories on how people reason about language and ultimately help inform policy-relevant questions about whether and how to implement language changes for social purposes.

Co-authors on the study include Robin Dembroff, Yale University; Daniel Wodak, University of Pennsylvania; Elif G. Ikizer, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; and, Andrei Cimpian, New York University.

Journal information: Journal of Experimental Psychology

Provided by University of New Hampshire

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What Being Trans in Prison Is Really Like

Amid a wave of anti-trans legislation, and the violence that often follows, four people share their experiences in the criminal justice system..

T he last few years have brought a wave of anti-trans legislation. Hundreds of bills have aimed to prevent trans teens from using certain bathrooms , teachers from using kids’ preferred names or pronouns , student-athletes from competing on the teams they feel comfortable on and medical providers from prescribing gender-affirming medical care . Some states have even tried to send parents, medical personnel, educators and others to jail or prison for providing gender-affirming health care to minors and adults.

Lawmakers supporting these bills refer to transgender people’s lives as a “ woke social experiment ” or “ left-wing gender insanity .” Partly because of this rhetoric, trans and gender-expansive people are disproportionately targeted by violence, both inside and outside the criminal justice system. Transgender people are more than four times more likely than others to be the victims of violent crime, according to one study , and are more commonly targeted by sexual assaults in prisons and jails . Amid the noise of the latest culture war , we rarely hear the voices of trans people themselves, especially those who are incarcerated. So we gathered their voices from prisons around the country, conducting interviews over the phone, via video visitation and through Plexiglas in a prison visiting room.

We also commissioned artist Chris Cortez to draw portraits of each person as they would want to be seen if they had more agency over their appearance: what jewelry, makeup, clothing and hairstyle they would choose if they were not incarcerated.

A major takeaway: When prison systems refuse to let trans people live authentically and safely as themselves, that refusal becomes part of their punishment.

Willow Eva Williams is a 58-year-old trans woman who has served 27 years in Texas men’s prisons. Williams is a poet and former small business owner.

I’m kind of like a loner. It’s not that I’m an introvert; I love people. But I avoid conflict by being by myself.

I never go to chow. I come out of my cell, shower, go to the commissary and go back into the cell. I pass the time playing video games and watching movies, and I’m writing a book of poems.

I would like to go to the dayroom and interact with people. But I can’t just walk up to somebody and [say], “Hey, how’s it going? My name is Willow. What’s your name?” They might take it the wrong way.

When I got to prison 25-plus years ago, I told them I was transgender immediately. The CO was like, “Please don’t tell nobody that. You tell the warden that, they’re going to put you in seg” — that’s solitary confinement 23 hours a day.

Back then, I didn’t know about the hormone pills, but I had always lived like I live now. I’d been on my own since I was 16, being me. Or trying to be me.

I started staying away from people because of the stuff that used to happen with my pops. When I was 6, he pulled a pistol on me. I was in the kitchen helping my stepmom cook, and I had my hand on my hip. My father grabbed me, slammed me up against the refrigerator and said, “Men don’t do that!”

I was traumatized and blocked this experience out until 1999, when I was gang raped at Coffield Unit men’s prison. Back then, nobody cared about whatever happened to prisoners. There was no [Prison Rape Elimination Act] back then.

The incident started when a guy came up behind me and grabbed me in the shower. I turned and pushed him and he fell. Everybody started laughing. He got irate.

After a few months passed, I was thinking, It’s nothing. Then my door rolled open one night. One inmate after another assaulted me. Fourteen different individuals. An officer stood there and watched the whole thing, chanting, “Yeah! Do it!” I couldn’t fight them. I was tired. So I just lay there. Let them finish.

I went to the infirmary. They basically said, “You’re alright. You’ll heal.” They gave me some triple antibiotic ointment, and that was it. No paperwork, no nothing. They just like covered it up, [like] Get him off the unit . That’s how I ended up here. I’ve been in nine or 10 prison units in the system, in 27 years.

About five years later, in 2014, I just woke up one morning and I didn’t care. Like something just washed over me. I was thinking, You want to put me in seg, put me in seg. So I filed all the necessary paperwork to get on hormone medications. It was a yearslong process. Finally, in 2018 I started. The treatment makes me feel better about myself.

Inmates, they vary just like anybody else — like any other human beings. Some will [say], “Man, I don’t care about that. Whatever your preference is, I ain’t got nothing to do with that. God gave you that body, you do what you want with it.” … And then you got other ones: “Man. Nah! Get your ass out of here. We don’t need no punks over here.” I’m like, “I’m not a punk. I’m transgender. There’s a difference.”

The officers still call me by the wrong name and pronouns all the time. They’ll say “sir,” or “Mr. Williams.” I always say, “Stop. Do not call me sir. If you need to refer to me, just refer to me as ‘Williams.’” If I say nothing, that’s giving the illusion that I’m OK with what you’re saying to me, and I’m not. Because it’s not me. I don’t want to hide who I am.

I’m balding, and there’s nothing I can do. They don’t let you get lace-front [wigs] here. They don’t let you get heels here. They don’t let you get blouses. The bra that they have, if you alter it to lift your breasts, they’ll say, “Hey, give me that. It’s altered. I’m going to write you a case because you altered state property.”

So I picture myself back home in my house, wearing the clothes I want to wear. I do that a lot. I know that I’m gonna be happy. I know that I’m gonna look the way that I want to look. And I’m going to live the rest of my life as who I am: Willow.

Williams is serving a life sentence for charges that include sexual assault of a child.

In response to questions about Williams’ prison intake, her gang rape by other incarcerated people, a lack of medical care after the assault and misgendering by staff, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s communications department wrote, “TDCJ is fully compliant with PREA standards.”

Ronnie Fuller is a 45-year-old trans man serving time in a Georgia women’s prison. In 2023, he submitted an affidavit in support of a lawsuit challenging the state’s blanket ban on providing gender-affirming surgery to incarcerated people. Fuller is an ordained minister through the International Christian College and Seminary’s correspondence program.

I’ve identified as a male since I was a kid, but I didn’t understand why. I’d never even heard of the word “transgender” until a few years into my prison sentence, and that started in 2004. I can’t say that I needed to change my appearance at all, because I’d always looked masculine. But now I understand why I always felt different, and now I can live my truth.

Around 2016 I found out that the state had started giving testosterone shots to inmates . I went to my mental health counselor, and she put in for me. It took them over a year and a half for me to even go see the endocrinologist to start the shots. Every time I would have an appointment scheduled, it would be canceled. That was really stressful because I knew other people going out and seeing the endocrinologist. I just didn’t understand what was taking so long with me to get it.

In 2018, I finally saw an endocrinologist for exactly 10 minutes. I started my shots a week after that. That’s also when I started asking for top surgery to remove my breasts.

Once you start the transition process — when your voice changes and hair starts growing on your face — you’re left feeling like a bearded woman because you still have breasts. You feel like something from the circus.

Prison staff have said that the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) won’t pay for the surgery. Or they’ll say that they’re already giving me hormones, the treatment that’s within GDC standards.

A few years ago, after I wrote to the assistant commissioner in charge of health services, I really thought it was going somewhere. But it seems like they’re stalling. They’ve said my surgery is before the gender dysphoria committee. Now they’re saying a physician is reviewing it.

When you think the process is moving, you just get excited. And then it doesn’t happen. And the more you ask, it kind of makes you seem like you’re a troublemaker. And they treat you differently. The grievance process is a part of the policy, and it says you’re not supposed to be retaliated against. But you know, that’s just a piece of paper with some words. Because they will retaliate. And then when you do need help for something — it could be as simple as wanting to change your room or anything like that — it’s hard to get help.

I know three women who’ve had breast cancer. It was medically necessary to have their breasts removed. But then they were approved to get their breasts reconstructed. That’s really a cosmetic surgery. When prison officials talk about it, it’s like they want the woman to feel “whole and complete.” So my argument is, the removal of my breasts will make me feel whole and complete. And so this should be no different.

I’m a big believer in my relationship with God. I want to be the best person that God created me to be. But I’m also human too. And it’s really difficult when you’re surrounded by so many people who are hateful. This might sound crazy, but it seems like there’s a requirement for a lot of staff to come and work in an environment like this, that they have to be hateful. They kind of laugh [at me]. Or they’ll be like, “This is a women’s facility.”

Staff who treat you like a human being, they’re considered the outcasts or “inmate lovers.” Other staff members think that they’re doing something personal with you.

Sometimes even inmates still say “she.” So I’d rather just isolate myself. But then that gets lonely. Put aside the gender dysphoria diagnosis, being transgender — just being a human being in corrections is hard. I miss my family. I want to go home.

Fuller is serving a life sentence for murder.

The communications office of the Georgia Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for comment.

Reiyn Keohane is a 30-year-old trans woman serving time in a Florida men’s prison. Keohane was the lead plaintiff in the 2016 lawsuit that led to Florida providing hormone therapy to transgender people in the state’s prisons.

When I was a teenager, my psychiatrist diagnosed me with gender identity disorder, as it was called in the early 2000s. At 14, I was starting this social transition of going by a female name and pronouns. One of the medical treatments available back then was hormone therapy at age 16 with parental permission. My mother refused, which caused a lot of fights. I tried to kill myself multiple times. I was extremely depressed and miserable.

So I moved out as soon as I was able to. I had some financial help from my grandfather, who was actually very supportive. He’s a career Marine, did four tours in Vietnam and was awarded the Silver Star. When I first came out as trans at 14, his reaction was, “Alright, that’s cool. What’s for dinner?” He never got a name or pronoun wrong.

Once I was living on my own, I started getting on hormones myself. I was on them only two months or so before I went to jail.

I was in county jail from 2013 to 2016. They said, “Give us your records, and we will give you the hormones.” I gave them the records and the prescription notices and everything. And then they just never did it.

I was told the prison system would do a better job of taking care of it, so [I would] get them in there for sure. So when I ended up in prison, I had all my medical records and prescriptions [ready].

But prison officials were like, “Because you were interrupted by being in [county jail], you weren’t taking them when you came to the Department of Corrections. So we’re not gonna give them to you.”

I’m pretty sure that they actually quoted the “freeze-frame” policy to me, which is like, “Hormones will only be prescribed to those who have documentation that they were taking them prior to incarceration.” Even though I did have that, they still denied me. They just make totally arbitrary decisions and absolutely refuse to change them. They may as well flip a coin to determine what they’ll actually do on any given day.

The day that me and the ACLU filed the lawsuit against the Department of Corrections, DOC took me to outpatient endocrinology and went and got the hormones. Because they knew they were wrong, even under their own policy, which was found unconstitutional.

Before I started hormones, it was hard to control my anger. There’s a lot of predators and nasty people in this place and my immediate reaction was to get very angry and fight them. I would have an adrenaline spike, then headaches and shakiness, and then I would crash. It felt really bad.

For whatever reason, taking hormones made it so that I get that kind of response to things…basically never. I still get angry, but it doesn’t feel like a thundercloud in my head where I can’t even think or see through it.

Even with hormones, it’s still so dehumanizing to be defined by a body part that I would absolutely get rid of if I could. I would pay for it myself, and they won’t even let me do that. Mental health and officers are like, “Well, that’s prison. That’s how it is. You’ve got to deal with that.” Like that’s part of the punishment.

Another punishment was getting my head forcibly shaved. They’d take me out of the cell, put me in the chair and then [hold] me there. I would just go limp. I wasn’t fighting or trying to get up or run away. It was passive resistance.

They made an even bigger deal of the haircuts when I was suing them for it. They would call in an extraction team and have them drag me out of the cell and use violence to forcibly cut my hair. They would shove me down into the wall or into the ground. Or they would bodyslam me into the wall.

One sergeant took the clippers himself because the inmate barber refused to have anything to do with this. He used the hair clippers to shave my head. And cut my scalp in the process of doing that.

In 2017, a year after I filed my lawsuit, the judge in my case ordered an injunction [to stop] this hair-shaving process. He said that it was totally unnecessary, didn’t have any kind of obvious penal justification and was just causing harm. So he ordered them not to do it until the decision in the case. But even when they were under a federal order that they could not cut my hair, officers still wrote me [disciplinary reports] for refusing haircuts. They also put me in confinement for refusing to get haircuts. Those punishments are on my record.

Nobody wants the government coming in and telling you that you have to wear these clothes, you can’t wear what you want to wear. I never wore boxers in my life until the government tried to make me. … How does the government have an interest in forcing people to wear a certain kind of underwear?

Keohane is serving a 15-year sentence for attempted murder.

The communications office of the Florida Department of Corrections did not respond to a request for comment.

April Turner Cassadine is a 32-year-old trans woman who has been incarcerated in a Tennessee men’s prison since 2016. Prior to her incarceration, she won titles in plus-size trans beauty pageants.

I was identifying as transgender before I came into prison at age 23. I had always felt like a woman: I started dressing up at 13, and I knew then that I felt like I was in the right body in the right place.

The first time I first got arrested, I was placed in a women’s jail by accident, which made the news nationwide . When I was locked up again, I wanted to be housed in a women’s prison, but unfortunately, that couldn’t happen.

In November 2023, during 9 p.m. count time, an officer came into my cell and said he was conducting a random cell search. I was [already] asleep, so I told him I needed to put on a T-shirt and slippers so I could leave my cell while the search was conducted. That’s when he grabbed my arm, pulled his private part out and forced me to give him oral sex. I knew he was an authority. I knew he had power over me. So I knew I had to do what I had to do.

But then it kept happening. It took a lot for me to report him because I was afraid. He was calling me out of my name — he called me a “trifling Black bitch.” When he started threatening my family on the outside, that’s when I came forward and told another officer.

Officials didn’t really believe me at first, but I had [saved] his DNA in my mouth and spat it in a shirt. They fired him, but I still don’t feel safe. I’m still traumatized and I have nightmares.

That wasn’t the first time something like this had happened to me while incarcerated. I got stabbed before by one of my cellies because I wouldn’t engage in sexual activity with him. He stabbed me 13 times.

The [officer raping me] felt worse than being stabbed because I felt betrayed. He was supposed to keep me safe. And I’m constantly going through retaliation and harassment. Staff have been coming at me, telling me I’m a homewrecker and a whore, because I think he was married. Inmates ask me for sexual favors.

In late February. I was assaulted again, by an inmate. He was asking me for sexual favors, which I rejected. He pulled a knife on me and beat me with a broomstick. My arm was swollen real bad, and my wrist was busted open. They were supposedly charging both of us, but they put me in the hole and kept him in the general population.

Recently I’ve been signing up for mental health care, and they’ve been ignoring my requests. And they just abruptly stopped my hormones. I don’t know why. When you stop a transgender person’s hormones, you just fuck with them mentally, emotionally. I think they’re doing it to punish me.

Cassadine is serving a 25-year sentence for second-degree murder.

The communications office of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDC) did not respond to The Marshall Project’s questions about the former corrections officer whom Cassadine reported for sexual violence; reprisals by remaining staff; or assaults by other incarcerated people.

The former corrections officer Cassadine reported for sexual assault did not respond to social media outreach, email or certified letters delivered to addresses found in a public records database. When reached by phone, he declined to speak with us. His employment records, obtained through a public records request, did not contain information about his separation from the TDC but did list four disciplinary infractions, including one for “insubordination/negligence/use of force.”

Marianna Bacallao of WPLN contributed reporting.

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Beth Schwartzapfel Twitter Email is a staff writer who often covers addiction and health, probation and parole, and LGBTQ+ issues. She is the reporter and host of Violation , a podcast examining an unthinkable crime, second chances, and who pulls the levers of power in the justice system.

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