A few months ago, I found myself wondering why people, who look like their sex at birth, choose to display their pronoun in their social media bios. After all, if I can tell they are male or female, why do they feel the need to display the pronouns they go by? However, I realized that my assumption of someone’s pronouns spoke to my privilege. It is a privilege to have someone correctly assume my gender identity. This leads to people thinking that they have to look a certain way to show what gender they are, which leads to an important conversation about how gender is a social construct. What it means to be a woman or a man has changed over time, and it exists in many forms around the world, which reflects cultural differences. Thus, since our understanding of gender is constantly changing and variable from culture to culture, it is socially constructed.
What are gender pronouns? These are the words you utilize when talking about an individual. These include, but are not limited to: she/her, he/him, they/them. Gender neutral pronouns are not associated with a certain gender, and using them does not label or associate the person using them with a specific gender.
Displaying your pronouns in your Instagram/Twitter/TikTok bio is one of the EASIEST ways to show that you are an LGBTQIA+ ally and aid in inclusivity. Showing your pronouns tells everyone that you come across, “I won’t assume your gender.” It is a simple solution to accidentally misgendering. It helps normalize the understanding that gender identity and gender expression are a spectrum and that this understanding is a vital part of being an ally to trans and gender-nonconforming people. Non-binary and transgender individuals commonly put pronouns in their bio on social media to avoid confusion and assumptions about their identity; however, this action often makes them stand out and become easily targeted by transphobic people. When cis-gender people include their pronouns in their bio, it normalizes the discussion about gender.
Gender expression does NOT equal gender identity, which is why it is important to never assume someone’s gender. If you are unsure about what someone’s pronouns are, simply ask!
In order to cultivate an inclusive environment, we need to normalize displaying our pronouns on social media. If you are a cis-gender person hoping to show your support for the LBGTQIA+ community, display your pronouns on your social media accounts. Through displaying your pronouns, you are aiding in the de-stigmatization of “otherness” in gender identity, fighting for justice, and eliminating potential confusion about your own identity.