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THE IMPORTANCE OF PRONOUNS
Mulgrave is dedicated to creating an inclusive community. It is a place where culture is something to be celebrated and diversity is of great value. That is why normalising the use of pronouns is so important.
Girl or boy, pink or blue, princesses or superheroes...from birth we are assigned a sex, a decision made based on our infant bodies that can determine the course of our lives. However, sex and gender are not always black and white; gender especially exists as a continuum.
To understand the gender continuum, one must first acknowledge the difference between sex and gender. Sex is a biological determination based on a combination of chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy. While these three things often align, they don’t have to. When you go beyond humans it gets even more complicated. In clownfish colonies, the female is the largest fish. If the female dies, the biggest male gains weight and becomes the female for that group. Fungi, like molds and mushrooms, have up to 36,000 sexes! Gender is often assumed due to societal binary perception: male or female. By using this binary we continue to invalidate the identity of many individuals in society who fall somewhere in between.
Pronouns (she/him/they/ze/zir) are a recognition of a person’s gender identity. Therefore it is crucial to use the correct pronouns when communicating with other individuals. Not only is misgendering an individual disrespectful but also an act of invalidation.
To create a more inclusive and accepting environment, here are a few things that you and our school can do:
• Include pronouns on contact cards, ID and other communications when you are comfortable doing so • Teach and learn about the importance of pronouns and using the correct ones • Include pronouns when introducing yourself if you are comfortable doing so • When unsure of a person’s pronouns, normalise using they/them
NIKA NEELY (she/they) & The GSA GRADE 8 STUDENT
This piece was inspired by my view on this subject, which is LQBTQ+. I thought about how many people see the change in themselves but others sometimes don’t. The phrase ‘love is love’ really connects to this drawing because no matter who you love, you are still you.
TATIANA CALDERON (she/her) GRADE 7 STUDENT
