Pronouns
Hello everyone, happy Pride month!
"Happy Pride Month" by Esperanza Habla
June is a month of celebration of Pride
in the LGBTQ communities. As a queer woman, I do celebrate Pride. As a queer
woman who is also straight, I am a passionate ally to others in the LGBTQ
communities.
One of the things I love most about being a writer is that I have a chance to share information, to speak about and inform others on topics I feel are important. As such, I think it a good time to discuss an important topic to many in the LGBTQ communities: pronouns.
One of the things I love most about being a writer is that I have a chance to share information, to speak about and inform others on topics I feel are important. As such, I think it a good time to discuss an important topic to many in the LGBTQ communities: pronouns.
Hello, how are
you today? My name is Esperanza; my pronouns are: She/Her/Hers
In the above example, I have just shared
my pronouns. I do not have an opportunity to share my pronouns regularly. Yet, it is important that I do so, especially during the month of Pride.
(A quick definition: Cisgender-someone whose gender
identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth-the opposite of
transgender-99% of the population)
If you are a cisgender person who does
not self-identify within the LGTBQ communities, you may not recognize the
importance of pronouns. It’s important that everyone have their pronouns be used properly and respected.
Writer Alison Caprimo writes on the importance of pronouns:
“Using
a pronoun is one way to connect with the world, which is why it's so personal.
‘In my opinion, gender is a universe. It is a broad spectrum of planets, and
stars, and sky that truly cannot be contained into a binary [or just male and
female],’ says activist and performer Leah Juliett. ‘So when someone identifies
with a pronoun, they are taking their little piece of that broad universe and
identifying with that. And so in using their correct pronouns we're validating,
'Yes. You are right in your identity and you're important and we're respecting
you.'"
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Resource Center explains the importance of using proper pronouns with people in
the LGBTQ communities:
“When
someone is referred to with the wrong pronoun, it can make them feel
disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, alienated, or dysphoric (often all of the
above.) It is a privilege to not have to worry about which pronoun someone is
going to use for you based on how they perceive your gender. If you have this
privilege, yet fail to respect someone else’s gender identity, it is not only
disrespectful and hurtful, but also oppressive.”
Let me share an example with you. I recently went to a party where I was
out of my element. I knew some people there, yet did not know most of the other guests at the party. I saw that there were name tags for everyone; I wrote
on my name tag:
Esperanza:
She/Her/Hers
One of the party guests that knows me personally
asked about the name tag I was wearing, and why I wrote my pronouns. My
motivation for writing my pronouns on my name tag was clear. I was not personally declaring my pronouns-I shared my
pronouns so others would feel safe in sharing their pronouns with me.
I read an article recently on Medium.com,
written by Sinclair Sexsmith, who wrote about the importance of cisgender people sharing their pronouns:
“Dear
cis people who put your pronouns on your “hello my name is” name tags: Thank
you. When you do that, I feel more comfortable putting my pronouns — they/them. I feel more
comfortable being visibly out as nonbinary. I feel more comfortable asking
people to use the pronouns that feel most like me, that make me feel most seen
and whole, instead of just resolving to be mis-gendered and mis-
represented …..”
represented …..”
It’s important that everyone have a place
at the table. It’s important that everyone feel like they matter, because they
do. It’s important that everyone be respected for who they are and how they
identify, including their pronouns.
Pronouns matter. Use them.
"Personal Pronouns" by Esperanza Habla
© Esperanza Habla All Rights Reserved
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