Hello humans.
I got talking to a friend of mine recently about words, particularly gender pronouns. Now I realise this can be an area of great discussion, especially on the Internet, and we got thinking about "they"; a very interesting and multi purpose thing.
The catalyst for this conversation came from understanding the best way to refer to our transgender friend, or any trans person for that matter. Obviously you could just use the gendered pronouns for that persons birth gender (in this case she/her), but it isn't always that simple. After all a trans person may be one gender but identify as another, therefore a more fluid description (they/their) seems appropriate.
This can be especially useful when talking with or about people you don't know very well, and I suppose many of us would lean towards this use of language instinctively so as not to cause offence. It is however not just a case of offending someone, but recognising who are what they are and wish to be. In a way the prescriptive idea of gendered pronouns can rob people of their identity, labelling them as something they may not hold true for themselves.
Bear in mind this is not just a trans issue, it can be applied to all sections if society. I know this is just a small issue, but one which is quite important for countless people. "They" may just be the most important word in our language.
Thanks for reading.
See you in the future.
