
Many have been taken from science fiction and fantasy books, and some were invented by gender non-conforming folks who required pronouns that made them feel more affirmed. Some neopronouns were even adapted from other languages, like German, for instance. They are most definitely real because they are meaningful, impactful, and understood by other people. Neopronouns are real words that come from transgender, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming communities.
#NEO PRONOUNS HOW TO#
However, once you learn how to use them, it becomes straightforward. In addition, the English language and even American culture haven’t been accustomed to incorporating neopronouns into their language repertoire.Īlso, some people get ultra-focused on pronouncing neopronouns, and they can find it daunting at first. However, navigating neopronouns can be complex for many people. Neopronouns create comfort and a sense of belonging for that person.” What Are Some Challenges to Using Neopronouns? People choose to use neopronouns because the existing pronouns, even they/them, do not fit for them. According to Taryn Myers, a psychotherapist, and professor of psychology at Virginia Wesleyan University: “We should honor anyone’s chosen pronouns by using those pronouns rather than pronouns we prefer. Why Use Neopronouns?Īccording to psychologists, it’s essential to respect and acknowledge how people wish to be seen and addressed per their identity. In addition, they can be very affirming for someone’s gender identity. Even though someone may still like they/them pronouns and understand why others would use them, neopronouns like ze/sir, for instance, might feel like they suit the person even more. The whole process can be an excellent way for people to learn more about themselves and language in general. They can be a better fit for someone who is using they/them pronouns, for instance.

Some people feel comfortable implementing neopronouns after they’ve learned more about them. They are personal to the individual who uses them and can be a way to have their humanity respected. Who is Using Neopronouns?Īnyone can use neopronouns however, they are most often used by non-binary, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people. For instance, xe/xem/xyr, ze/hir/hirs, ey/em/eir, and fae/faer/faers. Examples include “she,” “he,” or “they.” Neopronouns are a category of new (neo) pronouns to use in place of nouns when referring to a person. We hope you’ll be able to help us bridge the gap in research by not only doing the survey yourself but sending it to all your friends, regardless of where they study.Pronouns are words that substitute other nouns (name words). The second phase is due to begin in February and will be a UK wide survey, aimed at students from across the UK. Some of the preferred options used by these students are: The results of this survey suggest that the most commonly used pronouns by students of the University of Leicester are:ħ% of students selected other, they were then given the option to write in there preferred pronouns/neo-pronouns. Below details the results of this survey. The survey for phase one was live from the 30 th of October 2022 until the 31 st of December 2022 and had 139 responses. If you stated other on the previous question, please enter your preferred pronouns/neo pronouns below.What are your preferred pronouns/neo-pronouns?.The first, or “phase one”, targeted students of our university and simply asked two questions: The University of Leicester Students’ Union is currently attempting to bridge this gap in the knowledge with a multi-phase campaign consisting of two surveys. This means that there is quite possibly a large number of students whose gender identity and preferred pronouns are going unacknowledged, leaving their voices unheard. There is even less data surrounding the use of pronouns and neo-pronouns within the number of university students within the UK. There is a large gap in the research regarding the pronouns and neo-pronouns used in the UK population. Using neo-pronouns in this way allows the user to express them both themselves and their gender identity. These are a more gender neutral and genderless approach to the typically used she/her and he/him. For example, “ I, he, you, it, they”Īs you may know, some individuals, mostly those within the queer community, prefer to use neo pronouns, such as ze/hir and xe/xem.

Pronouns are a set of words in a language that are used as substitutes for nouns or noun phrases and are used in reference to an individual/s. Listening to how people refer to themselves in situations can be a guide for how to refer to them. Usage for mixed pronouns could be that someone is comfortable with all pronouns listed or they use specific pronouns for different situations.

This means that the person is comfortable using both pronouns and they are comfortable being referred to with either.
