Respecting They/Them Pronouns

Respecting They/Them Pronouns
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I sat down with my friend Acadia to discuss they/them pronouns, how they are grammatically correct and why you should respect them. Our interview is below:

How do you identify and what's your favorite thing to do in the world?

My name is Acadia. I identify as non binary, my favorite thing is music, especially singing and playing the upright bass.

What pronouns do you use?

I use they/them pronouns.

Why do you use these pronouns?

I use they/them pronouns because I feel they're the most appropriate for myself. I don't totally identify with either side of the binary.

Why should people respect your pronouns?

People should respect my pronouns because I respect theirs. They/them is grammatically correct because language constantly changes and adapting is part of functional literacy. If people are confused, I usually tell them it's the same verb pluralization they use for singular you.

When referring to you should people say "they are" or "they is?”

They are. Plural verbs for a singular person just like ‘you'.

What's the most annoying thing someone has said to you about your pronouns?

I frequently get the complaint that it's not grammatically correct which isn't true and shouldn't be seen as a valid excuse to not try.

What's something you want the world to know about pronouns?

People who use they/them have gender identities that are just as valid and real as those on the binary. At the end of the day, gender is made up so just do what makes you comfortable.

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