Instagram will now allow users to add their preferred pronouns to their profiles on the social media app.
The new development was announced Tuesday and will permit people who have profiles on the social media platform to include up to four pronouns beside their profile name. The feature is optional and users do not have to choose a pronoun if they do not wish to do so.
“We are giving people more tools to express themselves on Instagram,” a Facebook company spokesperson told Mashable. “Sharing pronouns has been widely adopted by our community, and with this feature we hope to normalize the adoption further.”
In order to add pronouns to someone’s Instagram profile, the person must go to their profile, click “Edit Profile,” then tap “Pronouns.” Once someone starts typing pronouns, he or she will be able to select one from the list.
Instagram’s instructions page regarding pronouns explains the process:
When having a conversation, people use pronouns to refer to someone without using their name. You can add up to four pronouns to your Instagram profile to help others refer to you.
Pronouns you add will be displayed on your profile and won’t be used to refer to you elsewhere on Instagram.
In a tweet, Instagram announced the move, saying, “Add pronouns to your profile [star emoji] The new field is available in a few countries, with plans for more.” Another tweet said, “ICYMI: now you can add pronouns to your profile [heart emoji] Add up to 4 pronouns and edit or remove them any time. You can also choose to display pronouns to only people who follow you.”
Add pronouns to your profile ✨
The new field is available in a few countries, with plans for more. pic.twitter.com/02HNSqc04R
— Instagram (@instagram) May 11, 2021
Instagram Comms put out a tweet that said, “We’ll continue to update the list of terms over time, so that more people around the world can share their pronouns more easily.” The tweet included a website for users to add requests for other pronouns.
We'll continue to update the list of terms over time, so that more people around the world can share their pronouns more easily. If you have suggestions you can drop them here: https://t.co/u0JKBlTqAM https://t.co/9XeKRhZvk8
— Instagram Comms (@InstagramComms) May 11, 2021
According to Mashable’s testing, the outlet found that there were over 41 different pronouns to choose from on the social media platform’s list of current available pronouns.
The outlet reported that Instagram worked with multiple LGBTQ organizations when creating its “list of pronouns and neopronouns, including GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and PFLAG.”
Users can choose to hide their pronouns from people who are not following them, as well. If a user is under the age of 18, this will be the default option.
The platform is only allowing certain pronouns to be listed, and users can put a different pronoun that is currently unavailable for selection in their bio. The move comes after actress Gina Carano received backlash last year for posting “Beep/Bop/Boop” in her Twitter bio.
As The Daily Wire reported, after Carano was asked to show “solidarity” with trans folks by adding her “preferred pronouns” to her Twitter bio, she added “Beep/Bop/Boop” in lieu of the pronouns, triggering leftists to blast the actress as transphobic. Carano made it clear that she would not be putting “preferred pronouns” in her bio, but emphasized that she stands “against bullying.”
For now, Instagram users can reportedly choose from a list of pronouns, including:
- co / cos
- e / ey / em / eir
- fae / faer
- he / him / his
- she / her / hers
- mer / mers
- ne / nir / nirs
- nee / ner / ners
- per / pers
- they / them / theirs
- thon / thons
- ve / ver / vis
- vi / vir
- xe / xem / xyr
- ze / zie / zir / hir