In the late 1970s there was another public push for gender neutral pronouns, and “le” was briefly used before dying out. Fast forward to the 2010s, and we see a sharp rise in gender neutral pronouns from something talked about primarily within LGBTQ+ communities, to a broader global conversation.
Using the correct pronouns is a way of affirming identity in every interaction. Because of the number of times we use pronouns in a conversation, we can show respect — or disrespect — that many times. Whether you think it's a big deal or not, gender pronouns are important.
Linguist Dennis Baron found a reference to gender-neutral pronouns as early as 1841—specifically, “e,” with “em” for the object and “es” for the possessive.
You may have noticed that many people are sharing their pronouns in conversations, introductions, bios, and email signatures. The reason this is happening is to make spaces more inclusive to transgender (trans), gender noncomforming, and non-binary people.
The modern feminine "she" first appears in the mid-12th century, seemingly — at least in part — to fight against ambiguity over gender, Baron said. Baron has collected more than 100 pronouns, invented or repurposed, making the rounds today, and the list is growing.
In the late 1970s there was another public push for gender neutral pronouns, and “le” was briefly used before dying out. Fast forward to the 2010s, and we see a sharp rise in gender neutral pronouns from something talked about primarily within LGBTQ+ communities, to a broader global conversation.
In 1955, the controversial and innovative sexologist John Money first used the term “gender” in a way that we all now take for granted: to describe a human characteristic. Money's work broke new ground, opening a new field of research in sexual science and giving currency to medical ideas about human sexuality.
She, her, hers and he, him, his are common and more familiar pronouns. Some people call these “female/feminine” and “male/masculine” pronouns, but many avoid these labels because, for example, not everyone who uses he feels like a “male” or “masculine”.
Some pronouns are: I, we, he, she, all, it, they, their, etc. Gendered pronouns are those that indicate gender: he, she, him, her, hers, his, himself and herself. All others, like "it, "one," and "they," are gender-neutral.
The ze/hir, ze/zir pronoun sets come from the trans community as another gender-neutral pronoun set. It's up to each individual to decide which pronoun best fits them and their identities. Ze is typically pronounced like the letter Z.
Likely the oldest gender-neutral pronoun in the English language is the singular they, which was, for centuries, a common way to identify a person whose gender was indefinite. For a time in the 1600s, medical texts even referred to individuals who did not accord with binary gender standards as they/them.
By the 11th century, the role of grammatical gender in Old English was beginning to decline. The Middle English of the 13th century was in transition to the loss of a gender system.
According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the singular they showed up in writing in 1375—over 600 years ago! The OED also suggests the usage is even older since written language usually reflects trends already present in spoken language.
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.
For people learning English as a second language, pronouns can be difficult because they are expressed differently in their native language. “It” doesn't exist in many languages, reflexive verbs are formed differently, and some languages only have one relative pronoun.
She, her, hers and he, him, his are the most commonly used pronouns. Some people call these "female/feminine" and "male/masculine" pronouns, but many avoid these labels because, for example, not everyone who uses he feels like a "male" or "masculine." There are also lots of gender-neutral pronouns in use.
Non-gendered or nonbinary pronouns are not gender specific and are most often used by people who identify outside of a gender binary. The most common set of nonbinary pronouns is they/them/their used in the singular (e.g., Jadzia identifies as genderqueer; they do not see themselves as either a woman or a man).
There are seven types of pronouns that both English and English as a second language writers must recognize: the personal pronoun, the demonstrative pronoun, the interrogative pronoun, the relative pronoun, the indefinite pronoun, the reflexive pronoun, and the intensive pronoun.
The traditional salutation Dear Sir or Madam is outdated and, just like the traditional greetings ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls, excludes nonbinary people. If you know the name of the person you're addressing the message to, simply use that.
Using someone's correct pronouns is an important way of affirming someone's identity and is a fundamental step in being an ally. Common pronouns include she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs. There are other nonbinary pronouns.
Indicating Gender Identity: For many people, using “she/her” in their bio is a way of expressing their gender identity and making it clear that they identify as a woman or as feminine.
Genetics Suggest Modern Female Came First.
Anthropologists have long documented cultures around the world that acknowledge more than two genders. There are examples going back 3,000 years to the Iron Age, and even further back to the Copper Age.
During early development the gonads of the fetus remain undifferentiated; that is, all fetal genitalia are the same and are phenotypically female. After approximately 6 to 7 weeks of gestation, however, the expression of a gene on the Y chromosome induces changes that result in the development of the testes.