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English neutral pronouns: Difference between revisions

English neutral pronouns (edit)

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* In 1996, 10 out of 1015 users on MediaMOO went by spivak pronouns, making these the second most popular nonbinary pronoun.<ref>Steve Jones, ''Cybersociety 2.0: Revisiting Computer-Mediated Community and Technology.'' p. 141.</ref>
* In 1996, 10 out of 1015 users on MediaMOO went by spivak pronouns, making these the second most popular nonbinary pronoun.<ref>Steve Jones, ''Cybersociety 2.0: Revisiting Computer-Mediated Community and Technology.'' p. 141.</ref>
* The author Bogi "prezzey" Takács goes by spivak pronouns.<ref>[https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bogitakacs Bogi Takács' biography on Smashwords], captured March 2016.</ref>
* The author Bogi "prezzey" Takács goes by spivak pronouns.<ref>[https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bogitakacs Bogi Takács' biography on Smashwords], captured March 2016.</ref>
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 7% of participants were happy for people to use Spivak pronouns when referring to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, 5.3% of participants were happy for people to use Spivak pronouns when referring to them.<ref name=Census2018></ref>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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'''Use in real life and non-fiction:'''
'''Use in real life and non-fiction:'''
* The Elverson pronouns were used by Eric Klein in the ''Laws of Oceania'', 1993, to be gender-inclusive in a nonfictional micronation. Sometimes this pronoun set is mistakenly called "[[English neutral pronouns#E|spivak pronouns]]," which differ only in the nominative form.
* The Elverson pronouns were used by Eric Klein in the ''Laws of Oceania'', 1993, to be gender-inclusive in a nonfictional micronation. Sometimes this pronoun set is mistakenly called "[[English neutral pronouns#E|spivak pronouns]]," which differ only in the nominative form.
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 5 of around 3,000 participants were happy for people to use Elverson pronouns when referring to them - around 0.2%.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, about a 0.1% of participants were happy for people to use Elverson pronouns when referring to them - 13 people.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''Use in fiction:'''
'''Use in fiction:'''
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'''Usage:'''
'''Usage:'''
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 4% of participants were happy for people to use ''fae'' pronouns when referring to them<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>. "Fae" was the only nounself pronoun with a comparable level of popularity in that survey.
* In the 2018 Gender Census, 3.9% of participants were happy for people to use ''fae'' pronouns when referring to them<ref name="Census2018"/>. "Fae" was the only nounself pronoun with a comparable level of popularity in that survey.


Forms:
Forms:
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'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
* In the 2015 Nonbinary Stats survey, 6% of the participants (164 of 2901 respondents) asked to be called by "it" pronouns.<ref name="cassolotl 2015"></ref>
In the 2018 Gender Census, 4.5% of the participants were happy for people to use ''it'' pronouns when referring to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 5% of the participants were happy for people to use ''it'' pronouns when referring to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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===Ne===
===Ne===


Several sets of pronouns use "ne" in the nominative form. In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, ten different pronouns starting with ''ne'' were entered by 16 participants.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref> One set of "ne" pronouns is one of the oldest sets of neo-pronouns, but not all its forms were recorded: '''ne, nim, nis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created around 1850,<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref> and appeared in print in 1884.<ref name="d baron epicene"></ref> Some of the better-attested sets of "ne" pronouns, in alphabetical order:
Several sets of pronouns use "ne" in the nominative form. One set of "ne" pronouns is one of the oldest sets of neo-pronouns, but not all its forms were recorded: '''ne, nim, nis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created around 1850,<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref> and appeared in print in 1884.<ref name="d baron epicene"></ref> Some of the better-attested sets of "ne" pronouns, in alphabetical order:


====Ne (nem)====
====Ne (nem)====
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* '''Predicative possessive:''' If I need a phone, my friend lets me borrow ''nirs''.
* '''Predicative possessive:''' If I need a phone, my friend lets me borrow ''nirs''.
* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''nemself''.
* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''nemself''.
In the 2018 Gender Census, 19 participants (0.2%) entered the set of pronouns ''ne/nem/nir/nirs/nemself''.<ref name="Census2018"/>


====Ne (ner)====
====Ne (ner)====
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'''In use for real nonbinary people:'''
'''In use for real nonbinary people:'''
* Thirty-six percent of the [http://cassolotl.tumblr.com/post/54769253277 lottelodge survey] answered "Just my name" to the question "What are your preferred pronouns?". (Multiple answers were permitted.)
In the 2018 Gender Census, 10.1% of participants were happy for people to avoid using pronouns when referring to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 11% of participants were happy for people to avoid using pronouns when referring to them, and a further 5 people specified that they want people to use their name as a pronoun.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>


===One===
===One===
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'''Usage:'''
'''Usage:'''
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, only 3 participants were happy for people to use the pronoun ''one'' when referring to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, only 4 participants were happy for people to use the pronoun ''one'' when referring to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>




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* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''perself''.
* '''Reflexive:''' Each child feeds ''perself''.


'''Usage:''' Despite its apparently extensive use in literature, in the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, only one participant was happy for people to use the pronoun ''per'' when referring to per.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
'''Usage:''' Despite its apparently extensive use in literature, in the 2018 Gender Census, only nine participants were happy for people to use the pronoun ''per'' when referring to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/per http://pronoun.is/per]
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/per http://pronoun.is/per]
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'''Usage:'''
'''Usage:'''
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 25% of participants were happy for people to use ''she'' pronouns when referring to them.<ref name="Census2018"></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, 30.9% of participants were happy for people to use ''she'' pronouns when referring to them.<ref name="Census2018"></ref>


'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/she http://pronoun.is/she]
'''On Pronoun Island:''' [http://pronoun.is/she http://pronoun.is/she]
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===S/he===
===S/he===


'''s/he (sHe), hir, hir, hirs, hirself'''. A set of English gender-neutral pronouns used in books by Timothy Leary in the 1970s, and then by counterculture writers influenced by Leary. For example, in Robert Anton Wilson's book ''Prometheus Rising'' (first published in 1983), which is strongly based on Leary's writings about consciousness, Wilson uses SHe [sic] pronouns to include humans of any kind, as short for "she or he."<ref>Robert Anton Wilson, ''Prometheus Rising.'' Second edition. Grand Junction, Colorado: Hilaritas Press, 2016. Page 55.</ref> It was used in non-fiction writings about spirituality by the Elf Queen's Daughters and the Silver Elves from the 1970s to the present 2010s. It was also used in fiction in Peter David's ''Star Trek'' books.<ref name="aetherlumina feb 29 2012"></ref> Sometimes with mixed caps, as shown. This pronoun was not entered in the Nonbinary Stats survey in 2016.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref> However, notable nonbinary people who have asked to be called by s/he pronouns include revolutionary communist [[Leslie Feinberg]]. In hir book ''Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue,'' Feinberg wrote,
'''s/he (sHe), hir, hir, hirs, hirself'''. A set of English gender-neutral pronouns used in books by Timothy Leary in the 1970s, and then by counterculture writers influenced by Leary. For example, in Robert Anton Wilson's book ''Prometheus Rising'' (first published in 1983), which is strongly based on Leary's writings about consciousness, Wilson uses SHe [sic] pronouns to include humans of any kind, as short for "she or he."<ref>Robert Anton Wilson, ''Prometheus Rising.'' Second edition. Grand Junction, Colorado: Hilaritas Press, 2016. Page 55.</ref> It was used in non-fiction writings about spirituality by the Elf Queen's Daughters and the Silver Elves from the 1970s to the present 2010s. It was also used in fiction in Peter David's ''Star Trek'' books.<ref name="aetherlumina feb 29 2012"></ref> Sometimes with mixed caps, as shown. This pronoun was not entered in the 2018 Gender Census.<ref name="Census2018"/> However, notable nonbinary people who have asked to be called by s/he pronouns include revolutionary communist [[Leslie Feinberg]]. In hir book ''Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue,'' Feinberg wrote,


<blockquote>"I asked Beacon Press to use ''s/he'' [sic] in the author description of me on the cover of ''Transgender Warriors'' [another book by Feinberg]. That pronoun is a contribution from the women's liberation movement. Prior to that struggle, the pronoun 'he' was almost universally used to describe humankind-- 'mankind.' So ''s/he''' opened up the pronoun to include 'womankind.' I used ''s/he'' on my book jacket because it is recognizable as a gender-neutral pronoun to people. But I personally prefer the pronoun ''ze'' because, for me, it melds mankind and womankind into humankind."<ref>Leslie Feinberg, ''Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue.'' Page 71.</ref></blockquote>
<blockquote>"I asked Beacon Press to use ''s/he'' [sic] in the author description of me on the cover of ''Transgender Warriors'' [another book by Feinberg]. That pronoun is a contribution from the women's liberation movement. Prior to that struggle, the pronoun 'he' was almost universally used to describe humankind-- 'mankind.' So ''s/he''' opened up the pronoun to include 'womankind.' I used ''s/he'' on my book jacket because it is recognizable as a gender-neutral pronoun to people. But I personally prefer the pronoun ''ze'' because, for me, it melds mankind and womankind into humankind."<ref>Leslie Feinberg, ''Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue.'' Page 71.</ref></blockquote>
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'''In use for real nonbinary people:'''
'''In use for real nonbinary people:'''
* In the 2015 Nonbinary Stats survey, 3 people out of 2901 respondents wished to be called by "thon."<ref name="cassolotl 2015"></ref>
In the 2018 Gender Census, six people said that they were happy for people to use ''thon'' to refer to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, one person out of over 3,000 said that they were happy for people to use ''thon'' to refer to thon.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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===Ve===
===Ve===


There are several sets of pronouns that use "ve" in the nominative form, the earliest of which was created in 1970. In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, seven people entered seven entirely different sets of pronouns starting with ''ve''.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
There are several sets of pronouns that use "ve" in the nominative form, the earliest of which was created in 1970. In the 2018 Gender Census, a 0.30% of participants used a set of pronouns starting with ''ve''.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''ve, ver, vis, vis, verself''' is the exact set used by Egan, Hulme, and Reynolds (see below). The set's date of creation and creator are not yet known to the editors of this wiki. A nearly-identical but incompletely recorded set was '''ve, vir, vis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created in 1970, and published in the May issue of ''Everywoman.''<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref><ref name="d baron epicene"></ref>
'''ve, ver, vis, vis, verself''' is the exact set used by Egan, Hulme, and Reynolds (see below). The set's date of creation and creator are not yet known to the editors of this wiki. A nearly-identical but incompletely recorded set was '''ve, vir, vis, (not recorded), (not recorded)''', which was created in 1970, and published in the May issue of ''Everywoman.''<ref name="aetherlumina listing 2"></ref><ref name="d baron epicene"></ref>
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'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 10% of people said they'd be happy for people to use ''xe/xem/xyr/xyrs/xemself'' to refer to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
In the 2018 Gender Census, 7.9% of people said they'd be happy for people to use ''xe/xem/xyr/xyrs/xemself'' to refer to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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* [[Nonbinary celebrities#Kate Bornstein|Kate Bornstein]] used them in the books ''Nearly Roadkill'' (1996) (with Caitlin Sullivan June)<ref>Caitlin Sullivan June and Kate Bornstein. ''Nearly Roadkill: An Infobahn erotic adventure.'' New York: Serpent's Tail, 1996, p. 10.</ref>, and ''My Gender Workbook'' (1998) in reference to hirself, and to other specific transgender people, as well as hypothetical persons of unspecified gender.<ref>Kate Bornstein, ''My Gender Workbook.'' 1st ed. 1998, p. 106-107, 119, 130-131, 154, 248.</ref>
* [[Nonbinary celebrities#Kate Bornstein|Kate Bornstein]] used them in the books ''Nearly Roadkill'' (1996) (with Caitlin Sullivan June)<ref>Caitlin Sullivan June and Kate Bornstein. ''Nearly Roadkill: An Infobahn erotic adventure.'' New York: Serpent's Tail, 1996, p. 10.</ref>, and ''My Gender Workbook'' (1998) in reference to hirself, and to other specific transgender people, as well as hypothetical persons of unspecified gender.<ref>Kate Bornstein, ''My Gender Workbook.'' 1st ed. 1998, p. 106-107, 119, 130-131, 154, 248.</ref>
* Kate Bornstein goes by these "ze, hir" pronouns. Leslie Feinberg asked to be called by "ze, hir" pronouns, along with "zie, hir" and "she."<ref>Minnie Bruce Pratt, "Transgender Pioneer and Stone Butch Blues Author Leslie Feinberg Has Died." ''Advocate.'' November 17, 2014. [http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/17/transgender-pioneer-leslie-feinberg-stone-butch-blues-has-died http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/17/transgender-pioneer-leslie-feinberg-stone-butch-blues-has-died]</ref> In a magazine interview from 2014, Gabriel Antonio and another anonymous person both asked to be called by these pronouns.<ref>Al Donato, "He And She, Ze And Xe: The Case For Gender-Neutral Pronouns." ''The Plaid Zebra.'' [http://www.theplaidzebra.com/ze-xe-case-gender-neutral-pronouns/ http://www.theplaidzebra.com/ze-xe-case-gender-neutral-pronouns/]</ref>
* Kate Bornstein goes by these "ze, hir" pronouns. Leslie Feinberg asked to be called by "ze, hir" pronouns, along with "zie, hir" and "she."<ref>Minnie Bruce Pratt, "Transgender Pioneer and Stone Butch Blues Author Leslie Feinberg Has Died." ''Advocate.'' November 17, 2014. [http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/17/transgender-pioneer-leslie-feinberg-stone-butch-blues-has-died http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/books/2014/11/17/transgender-pioneer-leslie-feinberg-stone-butch-blues-has-died]</ref> In a magazine interview from 2014, Gabriel Antonio and another anonymous person both asked to be called by these pronouns.<ref>Al Donato, "He And She, Ze And Xe: The Case For Gender-Neutral Pronouns." ''The Plaid Zebra.'' [http://www.theplaidzebra.com/ze-xe-case-gender-neutral-pronouns/ http://www.theplaidzebra.com/ze-xe-case-gender-neutral-pronouns/]</ref>
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 5.3% of people said they'd be happy for people to use ''"zie/hir/hir/hirs/hirself"'' to refer to them.<ref name="Census2018"></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, only one person said zie would be happy for people to use ''"zie/hir/hir/hirs/hirself"'' to refer to hir.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
'''Use for real nonbinary people:'''
* In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, 8 people (around 0.3%) said they'd be happy for people to use ''zie/zir'' (or some similar spelling) to refer to them.<ref name=NBGQ2016></ref>
* In the 2018 Gender Census, 15 people (around 0.1%) said they'd be happy for people to use ''zie/zir'' (or some similar spelling) to refer to them.<ref name="Census2018"/>


'''Forms:'''
'''Forms:'''
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