In recent years, people and states across the world have become more accepting and appreciative of their LGBTQ+ community. They’ve opened up about their sexuality, sexual orientations, gender identity, and pronouns.

So, what’s the big deal about pronouns, and how do they help people express themselves?

What is the reason behind the fact that one in four young queer people use gender-neutral pronouns? Let’s find out.

Gotta be worth it/Pexels |  Gender-neutral pronouns are for people who don’t affiliate themselves with a particular gender

What Are Gender Pronouns?

Before you jump headfirst into it, you should know why pronouns are so important. They are defined as the terms people use that truly reflect who they identify as. These pronouns can be he/him, she/her, and gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them. A recent survey conducted by The Trevor Project discovered that around 75% of the LGBTQ+ young community leans towards using gender-specific pronouns.

These include pronouns like he/him or she/her, while on the other hand, 25 percent of the community uses they/them. Even famous British singer Sam Smith opened up about their pronouns when they came out as non-binary. American Actress and singer Demi Lovato also came out as non-binary, and they adopted gender-neutral pronouns.

Rosemary Ketchum/Pexels | Everyone has the right to express themselves

The Rise in Awareness

Ever since the rise in awareness regarding these topics, many people have been looking for different ways to express themselves, and pronouns happen to be one of those ways. Recently, the internet searches for the word ‘they’ went up by 313%, which means that people are now educating themselves regarding pronouns and their use.

Many workplaces have also changed their policies to accommodate their non-binary or queer employees by allowing them to use their preferred pronouns.

Not a New Trend

While there might be a few people who may not agree with it, stating the rules of English and language, little do they know that the Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the word ‘they’ written in a singular form back to the year 1375.

Rosemary Ketchum/Pexels | This means that it is not as new as one might think

Everyone has the right to express themselves however they want, and it’s time we all got on board too.