The Pronouns in Bio meme is a reference to the practice of putting one’s pronouns in the bio of an Instagram or X profile, popularized as a way to be more inclusive of the trans community.
What is the meaning of ‘pronouns in bio’?
If gender is a construct, then anyone can use any pronoun: he, she, or they are the most popular options. Pronouns pretty much just tell you what people prefer to be called, however, they might outwardly present or privately identify.
There has been a lot of debate over the best way to share or ask for someone’s pronouns, and that’s just in liberal circles. There are, obviously, plenty of bigoted people who take issue with the concept of choosing one’s pronouns, let alone being polite to other people about theirs. But even amongst people who in general believe in being respectful and tolerant, the optimal way to approach the issue is often in flux.
Early on, people began adding their pronouns in their social media platform bios as a way to clarify for anyone checking. It was encouraged that cis people also partake in the practice. If only trans and nonbinary people do it, it becomes more of an identifier than intended. Normalizing the practice for everyone was encouraged.
Popularity
Conversations around pronouns have been going on for literally decades, but adding them to bios became a more popular practice following former Donald Trump’s presidency in 2016. It was also a time when Trump supporters and TERFs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) took more critical notice of the practice. It became a common thing to dismiss a person’s opinion because they have “pronouns in bio.”
Saying “pronouns in bio” became more of a catchphrase in itself, usually used in the negative.
Cultural context
Support for trans healthcare has been under attack in the U.S. and abroad in recent years. With Trump’s election win in 2024, there is more fear around what will happen to trans people, especially trans kids. X is also now owned by Elon Musk, a friend and recent administration pick of Trump’s, and it’s been noted that the platform has become increasingly unfriendly to marginalized people. Many are leaving the site. Ultimately, having your pronouns in your bio can be seen as a brave thing in the digital space as it stands.
However, it might be falling out of favor. Shortly after the election, people noted that progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had removed her pronouns from her bio. It’s unclear why, but struck many as bad news for the future of the Democratic party and the tolerant left.
Meme variations
Medium author Stu Hatton recently brought attention to a joke meme about “pronouns in bio” in which the pronouns are literally sitting around a bio room.
Hatton ultimately seemed to find any joking about the concept of pronouns in bio to be harmful on some level, simply because the issue of gender identity is so serious to so many people. But the meme itself is a play on words more than a judgment on anyone in particular. Perhaps it’s a meme with meaning only in the eye of the beholder.
Related memes:
- The ‘We Will Rebuild’ meme returns with Hurricane Milton
- Cisgender people are mocking ‘I now know my name’ trans TikTok meme
- How a leftist cartoonist’s college campus drawing nearly became a far-right meme
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