International Pronouns Day 2024
In light of International Pronouns Day, which occurs on the third Wednesday of October each year, we at JMSU are huge advocates for showing positive visibility for the LGBTQ+ community not just on this day but all year round.
This day reminds us to make conscious efforts to respect, share, and educate on personal pronouns. Many people may presume that as more and more people shed light on this topic, the concept of personal pronouns or trans visibility is a new thing, yet this is a misconception.
The earliest recorded use of “they” as a gender-neutral term to address personal pronouns was in the 14th century in a French poem called William the Werewolf.
According to the BBC, the first examples of the term ‘they’ in singular form, ‘feature as early as 1386 in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales and in famous literary works like Shakespeare's Hamlet in 1599. "They" and "them" were still being used by literary authors to describe people in the 17th Century too - including Jane Austin in her 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice’.
What are JMSU doing to present positive visibility?
It is so vital to educate ourselves on the history of trans visibility and personal pronouns to emphasise that our work is not done yet! At JMSU there are several ways we have showcased and will continue to showcase the visibility of the trans community, not just on the Trans Day of Visibility or International Pronouns Day, but every day. Together with officers from UCLAN SU, VP Community and Wellbeing Alexandria is working towards petitioning the ban of transgender conversion therapy. Banning transgender conversion therapy can contribute to the mental health and overall well-being of transgender and gender-diverse people.
We also foster inclusion on campus by supplying pronoun badges for staff and students to wear on lanyards and clothing to ensure clarity amongst us so that everybody can use the correct pronouns addressing one another, that way we can all benefit by feeling respected and valued, making others feel respected and valued by just affirming and recognising each other’s gender identity. Choose from our range of badges from our JMSU reception to ensure the correct use of pronouns, options include He/Him, She/Her, They/Them/, He/They, and She/They, with the inclusion of ‘Ask me about my pronouns’ badges and our new ‘My pronouns are… [blank space to write your pronouns] badges to be as inclusive as possible always.
We also offer rainbow laces that can be purchased at any time on our website and picked up at our reception in the Student Life Building. Rainbow laces are worn to show solidarity with those in the LGBTQ+ Community, particularly within sports, outwardly reflecting positive visibility. All proceeds go to the Stonewall charity.
How can I get involved?
Get involved with events throughout the year to be involved with trans visibility, always stay tuned via JMSU Events on the JMSU website for updates here, alternatively, our LGBTQ+ society is incredibly inclusive and friendly, welcoming all members of the LGBTQ+ community that hosts weekly events and workshops, some alcoholic and non-alcoholic meetups in safe, wholesome environments. Get to know them via their socials or on our societies page if this is something you’d like to take part in!
We'd love to hear from you—how are you educating yourself and making changes to be more inclusive? At JMSU, we believe that fostering inclusivity and respect for personal pronouns is a continuous effort. Together, we can create a more welcoming environment for everyone. If you need any support or guidance, please feel free to get in touch.
✍ Mollie Mae Shilston, Student content creator
