It often feels difficult to ask people to use the correct pronouns for me, especially since I use they/them/theirs. Thankfully, all you need to do to get it right is ask! Be sure to offer up your own pronouns when you do.
H AND M AD WITH TRANSGENDER PROFESSIONAL
Merriam-Webster came out in support of the singular “they” in 2016, and the American Dialectic Society, a group of professional linguists, voted it their 2015 “ Word of the Year.” While there’s been some controversy around the use of gender-neutral pronouns - particularly the use of they/them/theirs as a singular pronoun as opposed to a plural one - public acceptance of the singular “they” has grown in the past several years.
Trans Survey found these startling statistics: Outing a trans person is not only disrespectful of their boundaries, but can also result in that person experiencing harassment and discrimination.Īnd, discrimination is a major issue for the trans community. It’s a trans person’s right and their right alone to tell others that they’re transgender, depending on whether they wish to be out or not. It’s never anyone’s right or responsibility to out a person who is transgender without their express consent. When you misgender someone, you also run the risk of outing them to other people. “When someone misgenders me at school I just get this shock of painful tension throughout my body.”
“Where I’m at school now there are way less trans and nonbinary folks, no visible trans community, and while our equity training included a video on pronouns, none of my professors or colleagues have ever asked what my pronouns are,” N., 27, said. They also had a reduced sense of strength and continuity in their identity.Those who were misgendered more frequently felt that their identity was very important, but experienced lower self-esteem around their appearance.Genderqueer folks, and people who had taken fewer steps in the transition process, were most likely to be misgendered.32.8 percent of participants reported feeling very stigmatized when misgendered.Misgendering can have negative consequences for a transgender person’s self-confidence and overall mental health.Ī 2014 study in the journal Self and Identity, asked transgender people about their experiences with being misgendered. How does misgendering affect people who are transgender? Trans Survey, which found that 46 percent of respondents experienced verbal harassment because of their identity, and 9 percent had been physically assaulted. People who have discriminatory beliefs and ideas about the trans community can use misgendering as a tactic for harassment and bullying. Of course, misgendering can also be a deliberate act. In many cases, people make assumptions about their gender based on what’s listed on their IDs. In scenarios where government IDs need to be presented - such as at government offices, in schools, and in hospitals - people who haven’t changed their gender markers can be subject to misgendering. 67 percent didn’t have any ID with their affirmed gender listed. Trans Survey, only 11 percent of people surveyed had their gender listed on all of their government IDs. And in some states, you must have undergone specific surgeries in order to do so.Īccording to the National Center for Transgender Equality’s 2015 U.S. The Transgender Law Center’s report on changing gender markers reveals that in some states it isn’t possible to change your gender on documents such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates. Misgendering can also occur in situations where government identifications are used. There are a number of reasons why misgendering happens.įor example, people may notice that a person has primary or secondary sex characteristics and make assumptions about that person’s gender.
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