The Importance of Pronouns

The recent Supreme Court case subtly affirming a transgender woman’s pronouns shows the complicated nature of debates around gendered pronouns. 

Although it may seem that the debate over the use of “she,” “he” or “they” to describe individuals emerged during the 21st century, the use of gender-neutral pronouns has been around since at least the 1600s. 

According to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor Dennis Baron in an article that traced the history of gender-neutral pronouns, different newspapers and print publications toyed with gender-neutral variations during the 19th and 20th centuries, but nothing stuck. The rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement during the 2000s, along with widespread social-media use, brought gendered pronouns to the spotlight. Merriam-Webster even declared “they” as the Word of the Year for 2019, reflecting the increased prominence of nonbinary and transgender individuals. 

Today, email signatures increasingly include the preferred gender pronouns of the sender. Kathryn Dragan, a member of Open Door Pride’s board of directors, said she always includes her preferred “she/they” pronouns and increasingly finds them in the correspondence she receives from various companies. 

Everyone, regardless of gender identity, has preferred pronouns, Dragan said. Being open about those preferences can be affirming to individuals who are transgender or nonbinary.   

“While it is kind of a personal choice, it does show almost a solidarity,” she said. 

Pronoun preferences have been most controversial in schools, with school districts in Wisconsin coming under fire for banning teachers from including their pronouns in emails. Title IX law, which applies to all K-12 schools and colleges, ensures students the right to use their preferred name and pronouns. 

Cathy Grier, who uses “she/her” pronouns, is founder and chair of Open Door Pride. She said she worries about the impact of traditional “he/she” pronouns on young children. 

“We’re actually pushing gender conformity to an individual by saying ‘he’ or ‘she,’” Grier said. 

She said increased acceptance of “they/them” pronouns allows children to feel more comfortable in their gender identity. 

“It’s more than just gender,” Grier said. “It’s societal.”