You may have heard people talking about their “preferred gender pronoun.” Or noticed the trend to using “they” or “their” (rather than “he,” “his,” “she,” or “her”) to refer to a single individual. What’s going on? Why the fuss about pronouns? Why mess with the English language? If you or someone close to you is […]
TalkStarter: Gender and Restrooms
There’s been a lot in the news lately about who can use which restrooms. A recent federal mandate requires schools to permit students to use the restroom that matches their gender identity, even if that’s not the sex on their birth certificate. Whatever your views on the subject, it’s a great opener for talking with […]
TalkStarter for Teens: LGBTQ Then and Now
One of the things that strikes me when I talk to young adults is their matter-of-factness about gender identity and especially sexual orientation. They are unfazed about many LGBTQ topics–in a way that would have been unimaginable 30 years ago. This gives parents an opening for some interesting conversations. At the large suburban high school […]