05/15/2021
Perhaps you've noticed a recent IG update that lets us add in our profiles. If not, refresh your app. And read on if you'd like to understand more about what this means and why it matters, especially if you're cisgender, or confused about what that even means.
{also yay IG! I still have a VERY complicated relationship with you/your rampant of *xpositive and content, yet here I am.}
As a cisgender person, I have the of my identity aligning with the binary gender assignation that society at large also identifies me as. I was declared female (which is actually my s*x, not my gender) when I was born because I have a ***a, raised as a girl, know myself as a woman and when most people look at me, they see a woman. My life is made a whole lot simpler because of that.
Yet our world is not binary There is such a widely diverse array of expression, not least of all where gender is concerned. Not all bodies with v***as are women. Not all bodies with pen*ses are men.
For those humans who identify as and/or , which are not the same thing, their lives often are made a whole lot more complicated because our dominant cultural norms are designed to exclude rather than include their completely legitimate, natural experience.
So if you, like me, are cis-gender, using pronouns is an act of allyship and solidarity. By normalizing the use of pronouns for all genders, we make space for and take some of the burden off our nonbinary and trans friends, family, colleagues, community members, etc. This is how we and support in our world.
Also, for some trans and [another way of referring to nonbinary] folx, using pronouns can sometimes feel confusing, particularly if they're in the process of getting to know their authentic gender identity. I mention this because as a cis-person, having of and for this experience can also be a meaningful way to lend support. We should never pressure someone to rush their decision or disclose information about their identity before they are ready. What we can do is make space for their process.