Pronouns Day

Pronouns Day is observed on the third Wednesday of October each year. It is a day dedicated to promoting awareness, respect, and education around personal pronouns — encouraging people to share, use, and normalize correct pronouns in everyday life.

History of Pronouns Day

Pronouns Day, more formally known as International Pronouns Day, was first launched in 2018 as a grassroots initiative. Its founders sought to create a recurring moment that spotlighted the importance of pronouns in affirming people’s identities, particularly within transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse communities. Over the years it has grown organically, with schools, workplaces, communities, and activists crafting local events and educational materials to fit their contexts.

Though it began as a relatively small awareness effort, Pronouns Day has gained traction as more institutions recognize the significance of pronouns in inclusion and respect. What started as a single advocacy campaign now inspires many to embed respectful pronoun practices into routine interactions and policies.

Why Pronouns Day is important

Pronouns might seem like a small detail in language, but for many people they carry weight: being referred to by the wrong pronouns can feel like erasure, disrespect, or even hostility. Pronouns Day helps reinforce that pronouns are deeply personal and that taking the time to get them right is a basic act of human dignity. When people hear others being addressed correctly, it sends a message: you are seen, you are valid.

At the same time, the day encourages everyone — regardless of their own gender identity — to reflect on assumptions in language and consider how often we default pronouns without asking. That reflection can open doors to learning, empathy, and change in how we communicate. Pronouns Day thus serves as both a celebration and a reminder: respect in language matters.

• It affirms the identities of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse individuals
• It raises awareness of how casual misgendering can cause harm
• It encourages people to include pronouns in introductions or signatures
• It highlights the connection between language, identity, and respect
• It nudges institutions to adopt more inclusive policies

How to Celebrate Pronouns Day

One simple way to observe Pronouns Day is by sharing your pronouns when introducing yourself — verbally, in email signatures, on name tags, or on social media profiles. This simple act helps normalize that pronouns are not always obvious and invites others to participate. In classrooms or workplaces, organize small workshops or discussions about pronouns, inclusive language, and the impact of language on belonging.

You can also create or distribute visual materials: posters, stickers, buttons, badges — anything that reminds people to ask and respect pronouns. Offer spaces or prompts for folks to share their pronouns or to ask questions. For virtual environments, host a short awareness session, make pronoun-sharing features visible, or include pronouns in meeting introductions. In all cases, approach the day not as a checklist but as a chance to deepen understanding and kindness.

• Include your pronouns when you introduce yourself
• Encourage others to share their pronouns if they wish
• Host or join a mini discussion or workshop
• Make and hand out pronoun stickers, badges, or posters
• Adapt virtual spaces (Zoom, Slack, email) to include pronouns

Pronouns Day Dates Table