A simple way we can better use our own social media platforms and actively support LGBTQIA+ communities is to display our pronouns in our bios.
Nowadays, it’s pretty common to see people’s preferred pronouns in their Instagram bio, and we’re here for it. We live so much of our life on our phones and we depend on social media to keep us connected with each other, as well as act as a tool for us to find out more about people without having to ask.
As we become a more beautiful, colourful society and have the freedom to identify in ways that feel authentic to us, the binary black and white of past gender norms are slowly fading away, and we shouldn’t assume people’s identities.
We acknowledge that sometimes it can be challenging to find the right way to ask about someone’s sexual preference or pronouns, which is why putting them on social media can be so helpful.
Instagram agrees. It’s launched a new feature adding a dedicated location where users can put their pronouns, without taking up that valuable profile bio space.
The announcement went up on Twitter today, saying that it’s currently only available in selected countries, but will be arriving in more very soon.
Pronouns are gender-implied nouns that we use to describe someone in the third person. In today’s world, where we’re free to identify beyond the binary, making assumptions about someone’s gender through using the wrong pronoun can be offensive and troubling. You can read more about pronouns in this comprehensive guide for allies.
To set your pronouns using this new Instagram feature, go to your profile page, hit “Edit Profile’, then choose from the drop-down list. If you want to go one step furniture, you can go into “Personal Information Settings” and choose what you prefer to be called by – which can be up to four items.
The feature doesn’t allow users to just type in whatever they want — presumably so the field is used for its intended purpose and not for harmful use of a tool that is designed to be helpful.
You might not choose to share your pronouns, and that’s okay too. This is a great step by Instagram, allowing this as an option for those who wish for people to know how they identify without having to rehash it to every new person they meet.
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