It’s very likely that you know someone who is going through a gender journey, and part of that can include changing pronouns. Slip-ups can happen, people make mistakes, but it’ll mean a lot more to the person if you keep the following things in mind.

I have a transgender friend who complains about how it’s hard to be trans. I want to be a good friend, but I don’t understand why they choose to be transgender if it’s hard for them.

When I came out to my parents as bisexual, they were supportive. (Yay!) However, now they keep assuming that I want to date all my friends. How do I get them to understand that being bisexual doesn’t mean I automatically like everyone?

I have a friend who says she's bisexual, but she just got engaged to the guy she's been dating for a couple years now. Does that mean she's decided she's straight?

I have a friend who wants everyone to use the pronouns they, them, and theirs instead of he or she. I want to be supportive, but I’m having trouble with the grammar. Isn’t the word they supposed to refer to multiple people? Am I supposed to say “they is” since I’m talking about one person or “they are”? 

We have a new policy at work that encourages people to include their pronouns in the email signature line. I don’t understand why we’re supposed to do this. I’m not transgender, and my name is traditionally feminine, so people aren’t likely to get confused about who I am. Should I still include them?

My school is supposed to reopen for in-person learning soon. Is the Cortland LGBTQ Center going to reopen, too? Will you still come to our schools to visit our LGBTQ groups? If not, how can we talk to you if we have questions?

I’ve been following the Black Lives Matter protests, and I noticed that a lot of LGBTQ people, and LGBTQ organizations, have gotten involved. Is there a reason for that? 

My daughter told me that one of her favorite authors posted an anti-transgender article online. My daughter is part of the LGBTQ community, and she seems really affected by what the author said. I’m trying to help my kid feel better, but since I’m not part of the LGBTQ community myself, she says I don’t get how much it hurts. How can I better support her?

I’m having a really hard time dealing with self-isolation. I was out about being gay at college, but now that I’m home, I feel like I have to go back in the closet. My family is always making jokes about gay and transgender people, and I don’t want to risk coming out to them when I’m stuck living here. How can I cope?