Language experts and figures explore how pronouns can affirm identities and bring individuals together – both within and outside of the queer community.
WORDS BY JAMIE WINDUST Back in 2019, dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster announced “they” as their word of the year.
This was a nod to the pronoun’s expanding use: originally used to refer to individuals in the plural, it’s increasingly used by non-binary people who identify with neither “she” nor “he”.
Sounds simple, right? Well, in the years since, the seemingly uncontroversial subject of pronouns has become something conservative-leaning commentators and politicians have identified as part of the ‘woke’ agenda.