‘Fae’, ‘hu’ among 18 pronouns included in new guide sent to Victorian schools

The gender-neutral options “fae”, “xe” and “hu” are among a long list of pronouns in this new guide sent to Victorian schools.

Eighteen pronouns have been included in a new guide used by thousands of Victorians school students and staff.

The Wear It Purple guide to pronouns include choices such as “fae”, “xe” and “hu” alongside the more widely used she/her, he/him and they/them.

The guide also offers gender-neutral pronouns in different languages, including Arabic and Chinese, with a reminder that repeated and deliberate refusal to adopt the right pronoun could be illegal under discrimination laws.

Wear It Purple Day is a student-led day of gender and sexual diversity run at more than 500 schools nationally, with the pronoun guide sent out on request to schools.

The Wear It Purple guide to pronouns includes 18 terms such as ‘fae’, ‘xe’ and ‘hu’ alongside more prominent terms. Picture: Nikki Short

“We put together the guide because we still get some questions about pronouns,” incoming president of Wear It Purple Lara Husselbee said.

“By emphasising the issue within an empathy context, we show that it’s not just about inclusive language, but it’s something that can change lives.

“It can have really dramatic results for an individual.”

Wear It Purple Day was celebrated last year at Virtual Schools Victoria, Mount Alexander College, Northcote High and Bell Primary School, among hundreds of others.

It’s due to take place this year in August.

Many schools also take part in the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), along with Pride Week.

Marg Blythman, principal at St Joseph’s College in Mildura, celebrated IDAHOBIT day this week at her school. She said using the right pronoun was an important part of the school’s “commitment to educational, social and spiritual diversity”.

“It’s time for people who have been unseen to be seen,” she said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said individual schools “are best placed to make decisions about celebrating and educating students on various awareness days that meet the needs of their students and school community”.

“We support schools that choose to celebrate LGBTIQ+ inclusion, because in Victoria, equality is not negotiable,” she said.

Anna Brown, Equality Australia chief executive, said “events like Wear It Purple and IDAHOBIT are vital in raising awareness and creating supportive environments for LGBTIQ+ young people, where they know they are accepted and valued for who they are.”

Data from the Safe Schools Coalition and Minus 18 shows that about 10 per cent of people are same-sex attracted, four per cent are gender-diverse or transgender and about 1.7 per cent are intersex.

American pop singer-songwriter Demi Lovato uses the pronouns they/them. Picture: OBB Media

Transgender Victoria chief executive Mama Alto said meaningful steps towards inclusion, acceptance and celebration, “such as affirming who people are, using their names and pronouns, and providing equal and equitable access, we really can change and save lives”.

LGBTIQ Health Australia deputy chief executive Zed Tintor said awareness days such as Wear It Purple were extremely important.

But he said there was a need for schools to “embed inclusive practice across all systems across its curricula”.

Chief executive of transgender and non-binary support network Transcend Jeremy Wiggins said schools “can support trans students by providing leadership to the school community, respecting the students name and pronoun and listening to the trans students’ needs so that their privacy and confidentiality is also protected”.