Gender Identity and Pronouns

by GatherDC Staff / January 12, 2021

Why do we ask about Pronouns?

  • As a relationship-based organization, we spend our time doing our best to connect you with communities and individuals that best fit your needs and wants as an individual. Pronouns help us know how best to engage with you, and whether it’s to a barista, through an email or a phone call, or in a communal group setting, we want to represent you in the most authentic way possible. Pronouns are a simple way for us to be inclusive and make people who may otherwise feel uncomfortable bring their full selves to our spaces and conversations.

Definitions

  • “Cis” refers to Cisgender: denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex.
  • Transgender: denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.
  • Non-Binary: (also spelled nonbinary, or abbreviated enby) or genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine‍—‌identities that are outside of the gender binary.
  • Genderfluid: Genderfluid is a gender identity which refers to a gender which varies over time. A genderfluid person’s identity may change constantly, so it’s always best to ask what they are in that moment.

What is a Pronoun in this context?

  • A pronoun is a word that refers to an individual based on their gender identity e.g. She/He/They.
  • The most commonly used pronouns are:
    • she/her/hers (feminine, “she series”)
    • he/him/his (masculine, “he series”)
    • they/them/theirs (gender-inclusive, “they series”)
    • ze/zir/zirs is another set of gender-inclusive pronouns

Where can I find more information about this?

*Please note: We acknowledge gender has an ever-evolving definition. If you have questions or feel something is missing from this list, please email info@gatherdc.org