Vanderbilt Faculty Senate, with support from Vanderbilt Student Government and trans/non-binary students on campus, worked to develop resources to give guidance on gender inclusivity in the classroom. In addition, the Vanderbilt English Language Center created a pronoun guide as part of its mission to address the professional, academic, and practical language needs of students who have a first language other than English.
Ways to Make Language More Inclusive
- “Hello, everyone” or “How are y’all doing today?” in a group setting instead of “Hey, guys!” or “Hey ladies” or “How are you guys doing?”
- “They are a first-year student” when referring to a student instead of “they are a freshman”.
- If you are unaware of someone’s pronouns, you can use their name in place of any pronoun: “Jordan wasn’t feeling well, so Jordan went to student health for a checkup.”
Common Pronouns and Their Usage
Here's a list of common pronouns and their usage in grammatical contexts. It is not inclusive of all possible preferred pronouns.
| Subject | Object | Possessive | Possessive Pronoun | Reflexive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| He "He laughed" | Him "I called him" | His "His book" | His "That is his" | Himself "He loves himself" |
| She "She laughed" | Her "I called her" | Her "Her book" | Hers "This is hers" | Herself "She loves herself" |
| They "They laughed" | Them "I called them" | Their "Their book" | Theirs "That is theirs" | Themselves "They love themselves" |
| Ze (or Zie) "Ze laughed" ("zee") | Hir "I called hir" ("heer") | Hir "Hir book" | Hirs "That is hirs" | Hirself "Ze loves hirself" |
How to Ask About Pronouns
Asking “what pronouns do you use?” can provide an opportunity for someone to offer their gender pronouns for you to use. Other options include: “how would you like me to refer to you?” or “how would you like to be addressed?”
Another option is to begin by offering the pronouns you use. Try: “I use he, him, his pronouns. Do you mind if I ask what pronouns you’d like me to use when referring to you?”
Please note that if a student, staff, or community member tells you that they do not want to disclose their pronouns or do not wish their pronouns to be public knowledge, you can continually refer to that person by their name only.
The materials on this page are here to provide helpful information and guidance. We do not endorse any information or materials from external parties.