Pronouns

 Pronouns are words that refer to either individual talking (like you or me) or a person or thing that is being discussed (like she, they, and this). Gender pronouns (like he or them) explicitly refer to individuals that you are discussing. 

You can't always know what somebody's pronouns are by taking a look at them. She/her/hers and he/him/his are a couple of usually used pronouns. Some call these "female/feminine" and "male/masculine" pronouns, yet many stay away from these labels in light of the fact that not every person who uses "he" feels like a "male" or "masculine." There are also lots of gender-neutral pronouns in use. 

It is also important to know that your pronouns do not portray your gender identity or expression. Someone who identifies as a girl may still use they/them pronouns for their own personal reasons. People may also use multiple pronouns that they are comfortable with like he/they, he/she/they, or she/xe/they. Sometimes, a persons pronoun preference changes depending on how they feel that day, or at that moment. 

Asking and accurately using somebody's pronouns is perhaps the most fundamental approach to respect their gender orientation/identity. When somebody is referred to with the wrong pronoun or they are misgendered, it can cause them to feel disregarded, nullified, excused, estranged, or dysphoric (sometimes all of the above).