Pronouns: What are pronouns, and how do you use them?

For example; “Hey, someone forgot their wallet”.

Pronouns, a way to streamline language, have historically emphasised a binary construct of gender. Many individuals use a pronoun associated with their sex assigned at birth. For others, gendered pronouns and the assumptions behind them can be a stressor – particularly for people who are transgender and nonbinary. Pronoun expression can be an important part of a person’s identity. 

Cisgender people (those who identify with the gender they are assigned at birth), can often overlook how pronouns tie into all our identities. Pronouns are often assigned to your gender identity, and so they exist as a signifier to others on how to refer to you. 

For transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse people (those who don’t identify with the gender they are assigned at birth), their pronouns can change once or multiple times and so it is always important to be respectful first and foremost. 

People can use a variety of pronouns, including combinations like she/they, ia, ze/zir and many others. 

Why is being intentional with using pronouns important?

Identifying your pronouns and making a conscious decision when using them in your day-to-day signifies you as an ally. Active allyship can be a great help to our gender-diverse communities, as it shows that we are being supportive and contributes to safer spaces at University.  

Tips on how you can be an ally with your pronouns 

• Use pronouns in your email signatures.
• Add your pronouns to your Zoom, Microsoft Teams and social media accounts.  
  • You can find out how to add pronouns to your Zoom account here.
  • You can find out how to add pronouns to your Teams account here.
• If you don’t know what pronouns someone uses, default to they/them. 
• Ask people politely for what pronouns they use, but don’t force it.
• If you feel uncomfortable asking someone about their pronouns, try sharing yours first, and they should naturally follow along.

For example: “Kia ora! My name is Michael, and I go by he, they and ia pronouns, how about you?”