Who started they-them pronouns?

No single person started they/them pronouns; their use as a gender-neutral pronoun dates back to the 14th century in works like William and the Werewolf and was used by Shakespeare and Jane Austen to refer to individuals of unknown or non-specific gender, with its modern use by trans and non-binary people furthering its acceptance as a personal pronoun for individuals who don't identify exclusively as male or female. While the singular "they" has always existed, the conscious adoption and advocacy for they/them by the LGBTQ+ community in recent decades has brought it into mainstream awareness as a way to reflect diverse gender identities.

Who made up the they, them pronouns?

Geoffrey Chaucer used the singular 'they' as early as 1386 in The Canterbury Tales; Shakespeare often used they/them pronouns in his work, specifically in Hamlet in 1599; and Jane Austen used them in her 1813 book Pride and Prejudice.

Who came up with nonbinary?

The term "genderqueer" surfaced in the mid-1990s, notably used by activist Riki Wilchins in the newsletter In Your Face in 1995, and later in their 1997 autobiography. Wilchins contributed significantly to the discourse, particularly with the 2002 anthology GenderQueer: Voices from beyond the Sexual Binary.

Can I refuse to use they/them pronouns?

Refusing the use of their preferred pronoun means you don't accept their transition nor their new gender. Whether these people are here to see your messages or to hear you talk doesn't matter. You could be as insulting when talking about ethnicity or religion, in some way.

Who invented gender neutral pronouns?

One of the first instances of a neopronoun being used was in 1789, when William H. Marshall recorded the use of "ou" as a pronoun. "Thon" was originally a Scots version of "yon" and means "that" or "that one". In 1858, it was introduced as a gender-neutral pronoun by the American composer Charles Crosby Converse.

They/Them Pronouns Explained

When did gender-neutral pronouns become a thing?

Notably, the earliest recorded use of "they" as a gender-neutral personal pronoun dates back to the 14th century, found in a French poem titled William the Werewolf. In his just-released book “What's Your Pronoun?

What are the 4 main genders?

The "four main genders" often refer to grammatical genders in English: Masculine, Feminine, Common (either sex), and Neuter (inanimate/neither sex), as used for nouns like 'he', 'she', 'they', and 'it'. However, in social contexts, gender is understood as a spectrum, but a simplified model sometimes includes Man, Woman, Trans Man, and Trans Woman as key identifiers, alongside non-binary identities.
 

Can a straight person use they/them pronouns?

Yes, a straight person can absolutely use they/them pronouns; pronouns don't define sexuality, and anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation (straight, gay, etc.) or gender identity (cisgender, transgender, nonbinary), can use any pronouns that feel right to them, with many people choosing they/them for comfort or to normalize its use. It's about personal preference and self-expression, not a rule tied to being straight. 

Can you be forced to use gender pronouns?

Private employers are not bound by the First Amendment, so they are generally free to make their own rules concerning employee speech, including pronoun use. Like public employers, they must comply with anti-discrimination laws, but those laws cannot force private employees to use coworkers' preferred pronouns.

Can you legally be nonbinary?

In California, you can ask the court for an order recognizing your or your child's gender change. When you ask for the order, you can ask for a gender marker of female, male, or nonbinary. The process takes about two months.

Who is the most famous non-binary person?

Demi Lovato, Sam Smith, Janelle Monáe, and Emma D'Arcy all identify as nonbinary. Others, like Ruby Rose and Nico Tortorella, have embraced a more fluid, label-free approach.

Why is it they, them, and not just they?

Not only do they/them give gender-nonconforming people a way to refer to themselves in a way that makes them feel comfortable, but they also give writers an innately gender-neutral way to prevent disjointed writing.

Can a straight person be non-binary?

Yes, a straight person can be non-binary because gender identity (who you are) and sexual orientation (who you're attracted to) are separate concepts, meaning someone can identify as non-binary (not exclusively male or female) and still be attracted to people typically considered the "opposite" gender, thus identifying as straight. Many non-binary people use labels like straight, gay, or bisexual if those terms best describe their attractions, while others use more specific labels or none at all.
 

Can cisgender people use they-them?

There is nothing proprietary about using gender-neutral third person pronouns. Gender-neutral does not equal non-binary. Shakespeare was using singular they/them back in the day. So, yes you can use them.

What if I accidentally misuse pronouns?

If you realize your mistake after the fact, apologize and move on with intention. It is helpful to avoid over-apologizing as it can bring attention to the person whose pronouns weren't used correctly and on the situation as a whole.

What is the oldest gender-neutral pronoun?

e, (es, em) is the oldest recorded English gender-neutral (ungendered) pronoun with declension, coined by Francis Augustus Brewster in 1841. E, es, em, and emself were also proposed by James Rogers in 1890.

Can I refuse to give my pronouns?

Yes, you can refuse to use someone's preferred pronouns, but this refusal can have social, professional, and legal consequences, as it may be seen as discriminatory harassment, potentially violating workplace policies or anti-discrimination laws, though the legal landscape is complex and varies by location and context. While you have free speech rights, intentionally misgendering someone (using the wrong pronouns) can create a hostile environment, especially in public institutions or workplaces where policies promote inclusivity. Alternatives include using the person's name, avoiding pronouns, or politely stating you prefer not to use them. 

What are the 11 gender identities?

A Dozen Gender Identity Terms Everyone Should Know

• Agender. This term refers to someone who does not identify as any gender, according to NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. ...
• Binary gender. ...
• Bigender. ...
• Cisgender. ...
• Gender-expansive. ...
• Gender-fluid. ...
• Gender nonconforming. ...
• Genderqueer.

When did gender pronouns become a thing?

When did gender pronouns become a thing? Believe it or not, English speakers' dissatisfaction with binary, gendered language was documented as early as 1795. Use of “they” as a gender-neutral pronoun predates this discussion by some three or four hundred years.

What do ze and zir mean?

Ze/hir/hirs, ze/zir/zirs

The ze/hir, ze/zir pronoun sets come from the trans community as another gender-neutral pronoun set.

How do you address a they/them?

A person who goes by “they” pronouns is generally referred to using “they” and associated pronouns (only in the third person), as in this example: “They are a writer and wrote that book themself. Those ideas are theirs. I like both them and their ideas.”

Why do people identify as they?

People identify as "they/them" primarily because they are nonbinary, meaning their gender identity isn't exclusively male or female, or they feel a gender-neutral pronoun best fits their internal sense of self, offering comfort and accuracy when "he" or "she" don't feel right, though some cisgender people also use "they" for politeness or general reference, and it has historical roots in English. 

Which are the 72 genders?

Besides male and female, there are 72 other genders, which include the following:

• Agender: A person who does not identify themselves with or experience any gender. ...
• Abimegender: Associated with being profound, deep, and infinite. ...
• Adamas gender: A gender that is indefinable or indomitable.

What does LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA mean?

The long acronym LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning, Curious, Asexual, Pansexual, Gender Nonconforming, Gender-Fluid, Non-Binary, and Androgynous, representing a wide range of sexual orientations and gender identities, though its length highlights the diverse spectrum beyond basic terms, with some letters potentially varying in meaning or added for inclusivity, sometimes replaced by a "+" for brevity and broader inclusion, according to wikiHow and Quora. 

What is cisgender?

Cisgender describes a person whose gender identity (their internal sense of being a man, woman, both, or neither) matches the sex they were assigned at birth, such as someone assigned female at birth who identifies as a woman, or assigned male and identifies as a man. It's the opposite of transgender and uses the Latin prefix "cis-" meaning "on this side of". The term provides a way to discuss gender identity without implying that being transgender is abnormal, contrasting with "transgender" ("on the other side of").