Pronouns and Gender Identity: Why 'He/Him' for Cis Men and 'She/Her' for Trans Women
The use of pronouns specifically 'he/him' for cisgender men and 'she/her' for transgender women is rooted in societal norms and the specifics of gender identity.
Understanding Gender Identity
Gender identity is a deeply personal attribute that refers to a person's internal sense of their own gender. This is distinct from one's sex assigned at birth. Cisgender individuals identify with their gender assigned at birth, while transgender individuals do not.
Cisgender Men: A cisgender man is identified as such because his gender identity aligns with the sex he was assigned at birth. Consequently, he would use pronouns like 'he/his.' For example:
Example: John won the lottery. The ticket belongs to him. It is his ticket.
Transgender Women: Transgender women, on the other hand, are women who were not assigned female at birth but identify as women. These individuals typically use pronouns like 'she/her.' For example:
Example: Emily won the lottery. The ticket belongs to her. It is her ticket.
Assigning 'he/him' to cisgender men and 'she/her' to transgender women is not arbitrary; it reflects the conventions of language and aligns with a person's gender identity.
The Role of Pronouns in Communication
Pronouns are essential in communication as they help individuals identify and refer to others. When distinguishing between two individuals, it is natural to use visible and immediately recognizable characteristics. This extends to the use of pronouns. For example:
That one over there, the androgynous one. I think it's a guy in a red shirt. Yeah, that one.
This is straightforward and does not require delving into the complexities of a person's self-image or gender identity.
Language and Gender Multiplicity
There are several pronouns available, though 'he/his' and 'she/her' are the most commonly used. Let's list the pronouns including multiplicity:
Male 3rd person pronouns: He, multiplicity 1 (m) Him, multiplicity 1 (m) His, multiplicity 2 (m) Female 3rd person pronouns: She, multiplicity 1 (f) Her, multiplicity 2 (f) Hers, multiplicity 1 (f) Neutral 3rd person pronouns: It, multiplicity 1 (n) The plural pronoun: They, multiplicity 1 (p)For example, my pronoun is 'she.' I do not need to use 'she/her' or 'she/her/hers' because 'she' is the actual pronoun, and its grammatical variants simply denote its usage.
Conclusion
In summary, the use of 'he/him' for cisgender men and 'she/her' for transgender women is rooted in conventions of language and aligns with a person's gender identity. This helps ensure clear and respectful communication in everyday interactions and written content.
Understanding and using appropriate pronouns can significantly impact how individuals are perceived and treated, fostering an inclusive and respectful environment.