The Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity hosted the International Pronouns Day Tabling near the Doudna Steps to educate students about referring to others by their correct pronouns on Wednesday.

Kurt Ness, assistant for the GSD center who was working at the table, said a pronoun is what people use to refer to each other by.

He said the most common examples of pronouns are “he,” “his” and “him,” “she” and “her,” and “they,” “them” and “their.”

Jessica Ward, coordinator for the GSD center, said there are other pronouns that are not as common, such as “ve,” “ver” and “vis” and “xe,” “xem” and “xyr” for example, that people prefer to go by.

Ness said it is necessary to refer to people by their correct pronouns because it is a mark of respect and it makes for good communication.

“Everyone deserves the basic respect of people using correct pronouns,” he said. “It’s awkward if someone addresses someone by pronouns that are not their pronouns. So, it’s just basic human respect.”

Ward said learning someone’s correct pronouns is critical because it confirms and brings awareness to the other person’s identity, a crucial element of what makes people individuals.

“Pronouns are as important as learning someone’s name,” she said. “If I am misgendering or mispronouning you after I’ve been told what your pronoun is, it seems like I’m not learning your name. That’s hurtful.”

Ness said it is OK to ask someone upfront about their pronouns and that people do not have to feel afraid or ashamed to talk about it.

“(Ask people,) ‘What pronouns do you go by?’ Or introduce yourself saying, ‘Hi, my name is so-and-so, and these are my pronouns,’” he said. “For example, when I introduce myself, I’ll be like, ‘Hi, my name is Kurt. My pronouns are he, him and his,’ and that gives the other person the option to disclose their pronouns if they want to or not.”

Another good way to inform others of what pronouns people go by is presenting them on clothing, name badges and even in email signatures, he said.

Ward said people will sometimes refer to themselves by their pronouns in conversations, so people can also learn without directly asking.

Ness said he believes usually people fail to refer to others by their correct pronouns on accident, or they incorrectly assume, so it is essential to learn from mistakes and educate.

“We are raised in a society that is very binary with pronouns,” he said. “We are taught from a very young age to just look at somebody and their physical characteristics to determine what pronouns (they) use.”

Ward said cisgender people, or people who identify with the sex they were born with, are privileged in a sense.

When people assume pronouns of cisgender people, which they do often, many times they are correct in their assumption, Ward said.

“There is a lot of privilege in the cis community as opposed to the trans community. So, what I try to do as a trans advocate is I try to introduce myself and my pronouns. My GSD nametag has my pronouns on it,” she said. “These are my pronouns. I’m putting them out there, so it’s OK whatever your pronouns (use).”

Logan Raschke can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].