Using the Right Pronouns is Not That Hard, Grandma

Picture this: You are at the dinner table with your family. One of your family members comes out and says they prefer the pronouns “they/them.”

How would you react? How would other members of your family react? More importantly, how do you think the family member who came out would want you to react? They would probably want your support because you love them, right? If you answered that you wouldn’t support them, let me help you change your mind.

Think of how many times you have changed throughout your life. Just last year, I bet you were quite different from who you are now. My point is that people change, and that is the beauty of growth. People change their hair, style, and even names throughout their lives. Some of your favorite celebrities, even past presidents, have changed their names. Of course, changing one’s pronouns is a more important matter. But if someone wants to change their pronouns, it should be accepted by society and not fought against. Accept them for who they are.

Furthermore, the one thing I hear the most as an excuse to not respect people’s preferred pronouns is the idea that “they/them” pronouns are not grammatically correct to refer to a singular person.

This is incorrect.

According to Merriam-Webster, the use of “they” in a singular sense has been used since the 1300s. Though the use of identifying oneself as “they” as a nonbinary pronoun is new, it is also accepted by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as of 2019.

What this all really comes down to is human decency. It may be hard to see someone you’ve known a certain way in a new light. But it is your job as someone in this person’s life to support them. Do not rally against them because you are too close-minded.

I do not care what political party you affiliate with or what generation you grew up in; this matter is beyond tradition and politics. Someone vulnerable enough to express themselves has nothing to do with politics. You may not understand how a person could change their pronouns because you’ve never had those feelings before.

Think of it like this – It’s not your job to understand those feelings; your job is to accept and support.

Preston Reed is a Hutchinson sophomore studying Media Production and Communication. Email him at thehutchinsoncollegian@gmail.com

Views: 7