Gender-specific and gender-neutral third-person pronouns

When we talk about people, we use words like "he," "she," and "they" to refer to them. However, sometimes people don't feel comfortable being referred to as just "he" or "she" because those words are gender-specific, which means they only work if you're talking about someone who identifies as a man or a woman.

That's why some people have come up with other words that can be used instead of "he" or "she." These words are called gender-neutral third-person pronouns, and they're designed to include everyone, no matter how they identify.

One example of a gender-neutral pronoun is "they." You might use "they" instead of "he" or "she" if you're talking about someone who you don't know the gender of or someone who identifies as neither a man nor a woman.

Another example of a gender-neutral pronoun is "ze." This word is used by some people instead of "he" or "she," and it's a way to be more inclusive of people who don't identify as male or female.

Using gender-neutral pronouns might seem strange at first, especially if you're used to only using "he" and "she." But as we learn more about gender identity and the diversity of people's experiences, it's important to find ways to be respectful and inclusive of everyone, regardless of how they identify.