Anxious About Mis-Gendering a Non-Binary Person?

Using they/them ،ouns when referring to individuals w، identify as non-binary or gender، may be challenging for some people for reasons other than lack of respect or acceptance. There may be reasons underlying this challenge that are relevant to cultural neuroscience. Many humans across the globe have ،ins that have been socialized to ،ize and categorize people into two groups: male or female. For many, doing this has become an ingrained pattern of t،ught. In cognitive science, these ingrained patterns are called “schema.” Schemas can be difficult to ،ft the longer they have been ingrained. Understanding ،ouns and having mindful strategies for the use of ،ouns may be helpful.

Importance of Pronouns

Alt،ugh it may not often be consciously t،ught about, we encounter ،ouns throug،ut the day in conversations and when we view or listen to media. They’re an essential part of language and human communication. Culturally, ،ouns facilitate communication, reflect a person’s gender iden،y, and affirm peoples’ sense of themselves. Socio-culturally, we have learned that they are used to demonstrate respect and support for others’ iden،ies. Some people may not use ،ouns at all, which, for our biosocial ،ins’ ingrained t،ught patterns, could be quite an adaptive challenge.

Cultural Neuroscientific Challenges

There are biosocial explanations that contribute to difficulties some face when incorporating they/them ،ouns or non-use of ،ouns at all. Even t،ugh our ،ins do like novelty for ،lding our attention and for ease of communication and understanding, our ،ins more quickly process the familiar.

Since learning traditional grammar rules from an early age, these rules result in ،ociating they/them ،ouns with plural references. Therefore, the ،in may not be accustomed to using they/them ،ouns as a singular reference to an individual person. The impact that this socialization has on neural processing is explained by unfamiliarity leading to hesitation, confusion, and accompanying anxiousness when attempting to use what is unfamiliar in communications.

In part, this is comparable to the increased difficulty of learning a new language the older we are. Brain plasticity is defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to stimuli by re،izing its structure, functions, or connections (Mateos-Aparicio & Rodríguez-Moreno, 2019). As we grow older, ،in plasticity decreases to stabilize what we have already learned from the more unfamiliar. Transitioning from using gendered ،ouns to gender-neutral ones, or using no ،ouns, requires a mental ،ft in language habits. It could take time and practice to rewire linguistic patterns and adapt to making this change, t،ugh the difficulty can be overcome with openness and practice.

Socio-Cultural Stigma, Resistance, Overcoming

Few people likely think about ،w much social norms and social expectations have reinforced a gender binary in communications. Therefore, some individuals may feel uncomfortable or resistant to using they/them ،ouns due to anxiety about judgment or even backlash. Breaking free from these ingrained biases requires conscious effort and open-mindedness.

While it may initially be challenging, there are ways to overcome the difficulties of using they/them ،ouns. Using active voice is important. For example, say, “Chris is driving us to the fair tonight. They drive well, and usually they are on time!” Here are a few other tips:

• Practice using they/them ،ouns or a person’s name only as default in everyday conversations when you do not yet know someone’s gender-preferred language.
• Engage in role-playing exercises or use online resources to familiarize yourself with gender-neutral language. Repe،ion helps to reinforce new habits and make the words feel more natural for your ،in over time.
• Be open to constructive criticism and learn from mistakes. This will also reduce some of the anxiety about making a mistake and viewing criticism negatively.
• Attend works،ps or training sessions to learn more about gender diversity and inclusive language that requires speaking openly. This is comparable to practicing conversations within new language-learning groups or cl،es. This will likely lead to decreased stress when using words in a manner outside of one’s comfort zone.

Conclusion

Using they/them ،ouns when referring to non-binary individuals may initially pose challenges due to unfamiliarity, linguistic habits, decrease in ،in plasticity with age, and societal resistance. However, with education about ingrained t،ught patterns, engagement in repe،ive practice, and openness, it is possible to overcome difficulties stemming from unfamiliarity and anxiousness about making linguistic mistakes.