1 00:00:00,425 --> 00:00:04,596 One of the simplest ways to be inclusive to your peers is to use pronouns 2 00:00:04,596 --> 00:00:05,669 intentionally. 3 00:00:05,669 --> 00:00:11,314 Pronouns are how we refer to other people or talk about someone in the third person. 4 00:00:11,314 --> 00:00:16,634 You're probably already familiar with some pronouns as most often we use he or she. 5 00:00:16,634 --> 00:00:20,738 However, there are more pronouns than you realize. 6 00:00:20,738 --> 00:00:24,476 You don't want to assume someone's pronouns either. 7 00:00:24,476 --> 00:00:29,396 Although we're used to using he or him when referring to a male and she or 8 00:00:29,396 --> 00:00:34,809 her when referring to a female, these associations are not always accurate. 9 00:00:34,809 --> 00:00:39,172 Before we profuse some common pronouns you might come across, 10 00:00:39,172 --> 00:00:43,635 you might also see pronouns referred to as preferred pronouns. 11 00:00:43,635 --> 00:00:46,625 I encourage you to stray away from using that term. 12 00:00:46,625 --> 00:00:48,217 By saying preferred, 13 00:00:48,217 --> 00:00:53,006 it comes off as an option to use the pronouns that someone requests. 14 00:00:53,006 --> 00:00:57,459 When someone shares or corrects you about their pronouns, 15 00:00:57,459 --> 00:00:59,514 those are the ones you use. 16 00:00:59,514 --> 00:01:03,824 This chart refers to four common pronouns someone might use. 17 00:01:03,824 --> 00:01:11,400 We have she, her, hers, and he, him, his, which you're likely familiar with. 18 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,577 Then we have they, them, theirs. 19 00:01:15,577 --> 00:01:17,167 This is a bit tricky for 20 00:01:17,167 --> 00:01:21,866 some folks to adjust to using plural pronouns for singular nouns. 21 00:01:21,866 --> 00:01:23,353 I promise it's okay. 22 00:01:23,353 --> 00:01:30,456 The last ones are ze, zir, zirself or ze, hir, hirself. 23 00:01:30,456 --> 00:01:35,446 Someone might use these last two pronouns when they feel like the more 24 00:01:35,446 --> 00:01:39,416 gendered pronouns don't capture how they identify. 25 00:01:39,416 --> 00:01:44,272 These tend to be considered more gender non conforming pronouns. 26 00:01:44,272 --> 00:01:47,848 You can see we have example sentences such as, 27 00:01:47,848 --> 00:01:50,973 they are speaking and the bag is theirs. 28 00:01:50,973 --> 00:01:54,334 I encourage you to pause and try these out aloud. 29 00:01:54,334 --> 00:01:59,276 Something to know about pronouns is that someone can identify with 30 00:01:59,276 --> 00:02:00,695 more than one set. 31 00:02:00,695 --> 00:02:02,477 If they share more than one, 32 00:02:02,477 --> 00:02:07,024 that means that you can use any of those pronouns when referring to them. 33 00:02:07,024 --> 00:02:11,684 There are way more than the four pronouns we covered that exist. 34 00:02:11,684 --> 00:02:15,996 If someone shares pronouns that they use that aren't these four, 35 00:02:15,996 --> 00:02:17,390 you should use them. 36 00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:21,644 You don't need to feel pressured to memorize all the pronouns, 37 00:02:21,644 --> 00:02:24,097 but I encourage you to explore more. 38 00:02:24,097 --> 00:02:27,752 Also, you should always ask someone their pronouns or 39 00:02:27,752 --> 00:02:31,414 use they them pronouns until you know their pronouns. 40 00:02:31,414 --> 00:02:34,561 Since they them pronouns are gender neutral, 41 00:02:34,561 --> 00:02:37,635 it doesn't assume how someone identifies. 42 00:02:37,635 --> 00:02:40,201 It's always best to ask though. 43 00:02:41,900 --> 00:02:46,149 If you wanna know someone's pronouns to avoid using the wrong one, 44 00:02:46,149 --> 00:02:51,081 just simply say something like, hey, I'm Alex, my pronouns are they them. 45 00:02:51,081 --> 00:02:54,619 If you feel comfortable, please share yours. 46 00:02:54,619 --> 00:03:00,723 Or, I'm sorry, I forgot your pronouns, would you mind reminding me? 47 00:03:00,723 --> 00:03:04,801 I use they them theirs pronouns. 48 00:03:04,801 --> 00:03:10,497 I typically say, hey, I'm Michelle, my pronouns are she her. 49 00:03:10,497 --> 00:03:13,242 If you feel comfortable, please share yours. 50 00:03:13,242 --> 00:03:18,871 Or maybe you know someone's pronouns, but a friend or colleague is misusing them. 51 00:03:18,871 --> 00:03:26,006 You can say, don't forget Maria uses ze, zir, zirs pronouns. 52 00:03:26,006 --> 00:03:28,642 It's a great way to hold one another accountable. 53 00:03:28,642 --> 00:03:32,960 Mistakes will happen, you're going to slip up on a pronoun. 54 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:34,988 I've used the wrong pronouns before. 55 00:03:34,988 --> 00:03:39,082 When it does happen, I correct myself and move on. 56 00:03:39,082 --> 00:03:40,568 You don't need to dwell on it. 57 00:03:40,568 --> 00:03:43,385 What's important is fixing the mistake you made. 58 00:03:43,385 --> 00:03:47,938 To use pronouns, you need to get in the habit of using them and 59 00:03:47,938 --> 00:03:50,450 finding ways to implement them. 60 00:03:50,450 --> 00:03:54,033 For example, putting them in your email signature, or 61 00:03:54,033 --> 00:03:56,103 next to your name on a Zoom call. 62 00:03:56,103 --> 00:03:58,124 Maybe when you meet someone new, 63 00:03:58,124 --> 00:04:01,889 you make sure to include your pronouns in that introduction. 64 00:04:01,889 --> 00:04:06,929 If your team or company hasn't implemented ways to know one another's pronouns, 65 00:04:06,929 --> 00:04:09,745 team up with human resources to figure it out. 66 00:04:09,745 --> 00:04:15,089 By implementing pronouns and making it a norm, you're able to advocate for 67 00:04:15,089 --> 00:04:20,099 yourself and how you'd like to be represented, as well as your peers so 68 00:04:20,099 --> 00:04:24,378 they know you understand not everyone identifies the same. 69 00:04:24,378 --> 00:04:28,480 That will help them feel comfortable to show up authentically.