GENDER IDENTITY AND PRONOUNS
Dear straight old people like me and others:
In our endeavors to respect the inherent worth and dignity of everyone, we are occasionally
challenged by the changing landscape with gender identity and pronouns. Well, here from GLAAD are some shortened meanings and suggested actions:
Sex – a person’s biological status and is typically assigned at birth, -Typically categorized as male, female or intersex.
Gender – norms, behaviors and roles that varies between societies and over time. Male, female or nonbinary.
Gender identity – one’s internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither or both. Not outwardly visible to others.
Gender expression – how a person presents gender outwardly, through behavior, clothing, voice or other perceived characteristics.
Cisgender – describes a person whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transgender or trans – someone whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned at birth.
Nonbinary – people who don’t describe themselves or genders as fitting into the categories of man or woman, including nonbinary and genderqueer.
Agender – a person who does not identify as any gender. Gender expansive – someone with a more flexible gender identity than might be associated with a typical gender binary.
Gender transition – a process a person may take to bring themselves and/or bodies into alignment with their gender identity. Including changing names, pronouns, legal documents, gender confirmation surgery.Gender dysphoria – psychological distress from an incongruence between one’s sex assigned at birth and one’s gender identity.
Sexual orientation – enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional attraction to members of the same and/or other genders, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and straight. This is separate from gender identity.
Intersex – umbrella term to describe people with differences in reproductive anatomy, chromosomes or hormones that don’t fit definitions of male and female. Intersex is not the same as nonbinary or transgender.
PRONOUNS
What is the role of pronouns in acknowledging someone’s gender identity? Pronouns are used for everyone, so getting them right is not exclusively a transgender issue. Using the correct pronouns for trans and nonbinary people is a way to let them know that you see, affirm and accept them and are letting them know that they’re loved at a time when they’re being targeted by discriminatory antitrans state laws and policies. It’s simply about letting someone know that you accept their identity.
Should people be asking everyone their pronouns or does it depend on the setting? Yes, and while it can be awkward at first, it can quickly become routine. Gender expression doesn’t indicate their gender identity. By sharing pronouns, you’ll get to know someone a little better.
What’s the right way to find out a person’s pronouns?
Start by giving your own – for example, “My pronouns are she/her.” What if I make a mistake and misgender someone, or use the wrong words? Simply apologize and move on. It’s perfectly natural to not know. We’re only human and it takes time to get to know a new concept.
What does it mean if a person uses the pronouns “he/they” or “she/they”?” It means that the person uses both pronouns, and you can alternate between those when referring to them. Read more about this here:
https://www.npr.org/2021/06/02/996319297/gender-identity-pronouns-expression-guide-lgbtq
Did you know that current Friend Kayne Bland-Clark is President of OCQC? www.ocqc-ny.org
Together let’s continue to connect, learn, and grow, and make our congregation an increasingly
welcoming place for all
-Markly Wilson