Instagram to Include Pronouns on Users' Profiles

Instagram is taking a major step towards normalizing putting pronouns on your social media profiles.

The photo-sharing app announced this week that users in some countries are now able to add their pronouns to their profile. The pronouns will appear in a smaller grey font next to the user's name on their profile. It appears this feature is slowly but surely making its way to Instagram users across the United States.

Users on Twitter have indicated that this feature does not yet allow users to select "it/its" or any neopronouns outside of the more widely-accepted "she/her," "he/him," and "they/them." Hopefully, Instagram will work out these kinks soon to be more inclusive of gender non-conforming users.

For transgender and gender non-conforming people, including pronouns in their social media profile has served an an important indicator of gender. In recent years, the practice has grown increasingly common among allies who want to normalize not assuming a person's gender.

Apps such as Lyft and Bumble already allow users to specify their pronouns. Facebook has allowed users to specify their pronouns since 2014, but the choices are limited to "she/her," "he/him," and "they/them." We hope more applications and websites will follow in making social media a more inclusive place.