During Orientation you might often hear people introducing themselves along with their pronouns. This might be new for some of you and that is okay! Pronouns like she/her, he/him, they/them, and others are the words we use to refer to people when we’re not using their names. Some people prefer to be referred to by name only and not by pronouns at all.

For events that use platforms where you are able to rename yourself, such as Zoom, it’s good practice to add your pronouns in brackets to the end of your name (as long as you feel comfortable doing so). This helps people you meet during Orientation know which pronouns to use for you at a glance!

When you’re talking with someone, it’s important that you try to use their correct pronouns. Everybody slips up sometimes, especially when they’re learning, and that’s okay. When you do slip up, it’s important to just say sorry and move on, and then continue trying in the future; eventually you’ll get it right!

Working on and having conversations about pronouns is a small part of making Vic and Orientation a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone in our community.

If you have any questions about pronouns, feel free to ask any of the Exec or email vic.orientation@utoronto.ca