Intentional refusal to use someone's correct pronouns is equivalent to harassment and a violation of one's civil rights. The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 expressly prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns to avoid repetition. Pronouns must agree with their antecedent—the subject to which the pronoun refers—in number and gender.
Are they even necessary? The short answer is, yes. The correct use of pronouns is a powerful way to foster a sense of belonging both in and outside of work. Learn the history of gender-neutral pronouns, why they're so important, and how to be mindful in your everyday language.
But she says it was from the 18th century onwards that people started using male pronouns when describing someone of a non-specific gender in writing and this marks the time when opinions on what pronouns should be used started to change.
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.
Avoid toys and games that deliberately encourage gender stereotypes, such as pink packaging, unicorns, rainbows and hearts for girls versus blue packaging, robots, spaceships and toolboxes for boys. Ensure that toys and games given to children are inclusive and diverse in their representation.
There are some languages that have no gender! Hungarian, Estonian, Finnish, and many other languages don't categorize any nouns as feminine or masculine and use the same word for he or she in regards to humans.
Though useful, pronouns can also be troublesome. Because pronouns are substitutes for other words, it is important that they clearly refer to the word they replace and that they properly agree with all antecedents in person, number, and gender.
Rule: Avoid first and second-person pronouns
The reason you should avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing is that they can weaken the ethos (credibility and trustworthiness) of yourself as the author. Claims that you make as an author should be supported by evidence (such as research and logic).
Some employers require employees to specify their preferred pronouns, while others make it optional or are against it. There's no one-size-fits-all approach, and there's little legal risk with any of the three, but there are some factors employers should consider when deciding how to handle the matter.
INTRODUCING THE GENDER NEUTRAL TITLE MX
Mx (pronounced 'mux' or 'mix') is a gender neutral title used for people who do not identify with the traditional titles Ms, Miss, Mrs or Mr. The earliest known use of Mx is believed to be in an article published in 19776 and it has gradually gained popularity in society.
This is in order to avoid discrimination arising from the impression that there are social roles for which one gender is more suited than another. The disparity in gender equality throughout history has had a significant impact on many aspects of society, including marketing, toys, education and parenting techniques.
You can avoid sexist language by using passive voice or plural constructions, by eliminating pronouns, or by switching to direct address. Whenever possible, you should choose from among nonsexist terms that are increasingly available. Be sensitive when you write. Avoid any language that might offend others.
Such biases also result in the devastating truth that one in three women faces gender-based violence throughout the world. It is important to break the bias if we want to save lives, improve health care, strengthen livelihoods, reduce poverty and create a just world for all.
In addition to self-awareness, demonstrating empathy (understanding and sharing the feelings of someone else) and taking a culturally relativist perspective is another way to reduce gender bias.
Develop empathy for others. Try to walk in their shoes. Educate yourself about different cultures and groups. It is important to educate ourselves and continue to do self-assessments about our stereotypes and how they are potentially interfering with our interactions.
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 range of people and identities.
Because these folks don't identify with the two genders in the binary, and we haven't created a new language for other genders, many nonbinary individuals will take on they/them pronouns because they're already ungendered words.
'They', for instance, is a third-person pronoun that is gender neutral. Other gender-neutral pronouns include 'them', 'this person', 'everyone', 'Ze', or 'Hir'. If you're not sure which pronoun to use, you can also use that person's name.
Some of these would be “it,” “he-she,” etc. Unless given explicit consent from everyone who will hear it, do not ever use any of these words when referring to anyone, as they are incredibly offensive. Would calling a transgender person by the wrong pronoun (like referring to a trans woman as “he”) be offensive?