My pronouns are:
they/them/themself
(Singular “they”)
Example usage in sentences:
Singular “they” has been used in English to describe an unspecified person since the late 1300s (it's even older than singular “you”!). Nowadays, it's the most popular choice among people who prefer gender neutral forms. It starts being accepted by dictionaries too.
It is also common to use “themselves” as a reflexive form.
Table:
Subject | Object | Possessive determiner | Possessive pronoun | Reflexive |
---|---|---|---|---|
they | them | their | theirs | themself |
Normative-ish forms
Those pronouns have been in common use in normative English already, but recently they got a slightly different new usage: describing a single, specific person. If you want to link to plural “they”, use this link.- they/them/themselves – Singular “they” Normative
- they/them/themself – Singular “they” Normative
- it/its – Personal “it” Normative
- one/one's – Specific “one” Normative
Examples from cultural texts:
Singular “they” (they/them)
This list of sources includes both the version with “themselves” and “themself”, as well as those that don't happen to use reflexive.
ALOK – Bio on personal website, 2017
- “ALOK (they/them) is a gender non-conforming writer and performance artist. Their distinctive style and poetic challenge to the gender binary have been internationally renowned. As a mixed-media artist Alok uses poetry, prose, comedy, performance, fashion design, and portraiture to explore themes of gender, race, trauma, belonging, and the human condition. They are the author of Femme in Public (2017) and Beyond the Gender Binary (2020). In 2019 they were honored as one of NBC’s Pride 50 and Out Magazine’s OUT 100. They have presented their work in more than 40 countries.”
William Shakespeare – The Comedy of Terrors (Act 4, Scene 3), 1595
- “There's not a man I meet but doth salute me
As if I were their well-acquainted friend”
- “There's not a man I meet but doth salute me
Dana Terrace – The Owl House (Season 2, Episode 7), 2021; Raine Whispers is the first non-binary character of Disney and they're voiced by the also non-binary voice artist, Avi Roque
- “"So the Head Witch of the Bard Coven likes pretending to be a rebel. Too bad they're not very good at it!"”
Dana Terrace – The Owl House (Season 2, Episode 8), 2021; Raine Whispers is the first non-binary character of Disney and they're voiced by the also non-binary voice artist, Avi Roque
Hamish Steele – Dead End - Paramormal Parl, 2022
- “"[...]Anway, hello, I'm Jules.
My pronouns are they, them, and the late.
[laughs] A little, uh, ghost jokes for you there."”
- “"[...]Anway, hello, I'm Jules.
Matt Braly – Amphibia, ; Darcy is referred to with a variety of pronouns, including it/its and they/them.
Billions (Season 2, Episode 2), 2017
- “Hello, I'm Taylor. My pronouns are they, theirs, and them.”
- “– She spotted that from outer space?
– Not she. They.”
Blockbuster (S01 E05), 2022
- “Left, left, left. I hate Quinn. I don't even know if they like movies. They come in here all the time and make everything about themselves.”
- “[...] and Quinn, who never stops talking about themself, no offense.”
DeGrassi: Next Class (Season 4, Episode 6 “#FactsOnly”), 2017
- “My favorite vlogger did a thing about this. They identify as genderqueer. Or, I think there’s another name for it. Um... Genderfluid. They feel like they’re between a boy or a girl. Or both. Or neither.”
New Amsterdam (season 6, episode 6), 2019
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, 2019
- “Lord Hordak, I’d like to introduce you to Double Trouble. They’re our newest asset in taking down the Rebellion. (Season 4, Episode 3)”
- “We captured Double Trouble! They’re refusing to talk to us, but... still! (Season 4, Episode 8)”
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Season 1 Episode 7, "The Serene Squall"), 2022
Avinash Chak – Beyond 'he' and 'she': The rise of non-binary pronouns (BBC News), 2015
- “kat baus, a non-binary student who graduated from Harvard this year - and who also writes their name without capital letters - regrets that the university's computer system was not introduced earlier. "It would have been a lot easier and less awkward," baus says.
baus sent emails or visited professors during office hours to explain their gender identity and pronouns. In smaller classes they (baus) brought it up when introducing themself.”
- “kat baus, a non-binary student who graduated from Harvard this year - and who also writes their name without capital letters - regrets that the university's computer system was not introduced earlier. "It would have been a lot easier and less awkward," baus says.
Jamie Feldman – How Being The First Non-Binary Person Vying For Miss Colorado USA Changed Their Life (HuffPost), 2019
- “Their friends and family were wary but supportive ― so much so that Stecina quickly collected enough money to cover the application fee through fundraising on social media ― and after publicly announcing their intention to compete, they found themself in a particularly vulnerable place.”
Alison Flood – Marieke Lucas Rijneveld wins International Booker for The Discomfort of Evening (The Guardian), 2020
- “In their acceptance speech, Rijneveld said they wrote the words “be relentless” on the wall above their desk while writing their novel.
“Today, when the world has been turned upside down and is showing its dark side, I often remember those words. So, write, read, win, lose, love each other, but be relentless in this,” they said.”
- “In their acceptance speech, Rijneveld said they wrote the words “be relentless” on the wall above their desk while writing their novel.