Beyond ‘He’ or ‘She’: Using Nonbinary Pronouns & Getting it Right to Improve Outcomes for System Involved Youth

Kelsey Pacha

Training Description

An increasing number of Americans, including LGBTQ youth, are using gender pronouns that are not “he” or “she.” Many professionals who serve system-involved youth may experience discomfort or confusion about how to use such pronouns, like “ze/hir” or “fae/faer”, in a sentence and can unintentionally cause harm to the youth they are supporting. This training will help those who support system involved youth increase their ease, effectiveness, and confidence in using neopronouns correctly, and know what to do if they make a mistake. In this course, we will use three modalities to practice using these pronouns, via an online game, worksheets, and a roleplay. We will also review research about how correct pronoun use impacts health, well-being, & focus, as well as explore how non-English speakers are developing nonbinary pronouns in their language of origin.

Learning Objectives

1. Distinguish between neopronouns, nonbinary pronouns, and gender-neutral pronouns.