It’s sad to say that I’ve lost track of the number of times I have heard someone say their pronouns are: “Nor/Mal” on social media. Across platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, there has been a rise of homophobic and transphobic videos of people disrespecting and slandering those of the transgender community.

These jokes about people identifying as an “attack-helicopter” or with the “normal pronouns” may be seen as lighthearted and silly little jokes to some, but to others, it damages their perception of their gender identity. The continuation of these jokes and slander of the LGBTQ+ community continues to set back and destroy the society we have today. We cannot move forward into the future with transphobia clouding the equality we hope to achieve. 

Many don’t comprehend that the Transgender community is a blanket group that houses all queer people who identify as binary-nonconforming — meaning that they do not identify wholly with being singularly male or female. This group includes, but is not limited to, those identifying as transgender, gender-fluid or agender. 

Whether people realize it or not, everybody has pronouns.  Those who identify as female have she/her/hers pronouns, while people identifying as male have he/his/ him. For those in the transgender community, their pronouns can range from the ones listed above, a mixture of either, including the pronoun they/them/theirs and many others. 

It is up to us, as an entire American society, to provide people of the LGBTQ+ community, and the transgender community especially, with a safe space where they can explore who they are as people without fear of repercussion.