My mom is a teacher

My mom is a teacher. She works with kids who struggle to keep up with the rhythm of the traditional education system.

My mom is 61. She is a white, heterosexual, cis woman. She doesn’t fully understand what it means to be trans.

But she tries. She offers her students a variety of pronouns to choose from (and then calls me to ask about non-binary grammar).

If my mom tries, and if young kids are curious and willing to learn, then maybe it’s time we stop making excuses and actively work toward a more inclusive language.

Gender-inclusive language is becoming more common in advocacy and political literature in France. Isn’t it time for it to be taught to everyone—so that understanding and using it becomes natural?