Respecting Pronouns in Business: A Key to Identity and Inclusivity

Every business has a brand (name, logo, business type, etc.), and it’s well known that every business wants its brand to be respected.

Similarly, each of us has our own personal brand that we want respected, just like a business. Our individual brands include our name, physical expression, pronouns and more. Since 2020, there has been a push to openly share how we identify in professional and social spaces. However, pronouns are often debated and overlooked in everyday conversations. Many people do not understand the importance or history of pronouns, making it easy to dismiss them. So, let’s finally talk about it …

What Are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words used to refer to people, animals or things without using their names. Common examples include “he,” “she,” “they” and “it.” In the context of gender identity, pronouns reflect and respect how individuals identify themselves, such as “he/him,” “she/her” or “they/them.” Using the correct pronouns is an important way to show recognition and respect for a person’s identity (brand!).

If I were going to Target, CVS or Trader Joe’s, I’d say I’m going to the store. It wouldn’t make sense to call these establishments a bank, a mechanic or a restaurant, even though they all exchange money, sell food or offer something I can use for my car. They identify as stores, so that’s what we call them. Now, let’s take this concept a bit further and look at gender.

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Early English Pronouns: A Gendered Framework

For centuries, English used “he,” “she” and “it” to refer to males, females and objects, respectively, reinforcing a binary understanding of gender that aligned with societal norms. By the 18th century, language experts formalized this framework in writing and education, solidifying gendered pronouns in linguistic rules, leaving little room to recognize those who did not fit into “he” or “she.”

The emergence of the singular “they” is not as new as it seems. Singular “they” has been used for centuries, dating back to writers like Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare, to refer to individuals whose gender was unknown or irrelevant. Though 18th-century language experts discouraged its use in favor of “he” as a generic pronoun, singular “they” persisted in informal language. Today, it has gained renewed importance with the recognition of non-binary identities, challenging traditional gender norms. While there are other pronouns for non-binary individuals (“ze/hir” and “xe/xem”), singular “they” gained widespread recognition in the early 21st century, with Merriam-Webster officially validating it in 2019, marking a milestone in the evolution of pronoun usage.

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Going back to stores: Drug stores and grocery stores have existed since the 19th century, so CVS and Trader Joe’s have been around since at least the 1800s. However, stores like Target, which sell everything, could easily be misidentified as either a drug store or grocery store because they offer both medicine and food. This issue was resolved when the term “convenience store” entered our vocabulary in the 1950s. This linguistic evolution is similar to the revolution of the pronouns they/them. Outside of the context of gender, “they/them” doesn’t typically refer to a singular person, just as “convenience” doesn’t automatically mean “a store that sells everything.” But if we can accept “convenience store” to mean “a store that sells a variety of goods,” we can do the same for they/them referring to non-binary individuals. Language adapts all the time — it’s a choice to learn, accept and respect these changes.

Conclusion

Pronouns are an essential part of language, helping us refer to people and things in everyday conversation. Their connection to gender and identity, however, has a long and complex history. Just as the history of businesses and their labels matter to business owners, pronouns are important to each person’s identity. Respecting them is vital. Our pronouns not only affirm our identities but also foster a sense of belonging in our communities. Let’s continue making our industry and world more inclusive by learning and respecting each other’s pronouns.

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Sources

To learn more about the history and use of pronouns, especially in relation to gender identity and inclusivity, here are several valuable sources across books, academic journals, websites, and other media:

Books:

Academic Articles and Journals

Online Resources

Documentaries and Media

Research Studies