On the serious side, this is a well written piece. To a companion animal their pronouns don't matter to them, but you argue convincingly that words do matter. When we 'other' with "it" we diminish their agency and value. Thank you for sharing. Congrats on the book
Okay, I did not expect that when I clicked the link and had a very good chuckle 😂 And thank you so much for saying so. I always get a little nervous talking about this (like many topics in the oft-heated dog and pet world!) but I've been unable to shake the feelings here.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I feel a little jolt every time I read "it" for a nonhuman animal, and have been struck by how this unfortunate practice appears even in dog-centered writing. I hope this post goes viral and yields the change we need-- because words DO matter and can shape our worldview.
I am truly grateful to you for your clarity and compassion in raising awareness about this!❤️🐾
Oh, Ellen, this means so much to hear from you. Thank YOU! There's definitely nuance to the whole discussion, but I too find myself continually feeling put off by the casual, unthinking use of "it" like this!
I always make sure I call a person's pet correctly, either he or she. The woodpecker that visits our garden every day we say he, even though it could be a she. We have a regular visit from a hedgehog and we never called him an "it". What is weird in my opinion, is when people call their car or their motorbike she or he and name it. That is wrong 😁
I try to do the same. If I'm unsure of sex, I try to opt for "they" for a balance of convenience and covering bases. Works well so far!
And ha! I don't mind the naming of inanimate cars / etc much personally, but I do understand why the practice can feel odd. I've been known to name some of our household belongings (like our kettle) just because I think it's cute 😂
I had this song going on repeat while I was reading this. https://youtu.be/CduA0TULnow?si=uEPLlsBp_84vQUL4
On the serious side, this is a well written piece. To a companion animal their pronouns don't matter to them, but you argue convincingly that words do matter. When we 'other' with "it" we diminish their agency and value. Thank you for sharing. Congrats on the book
Okay, I did not expect that when I clicked the link and had a very good chuckle 😂 And thank you so much for saying so. I always get a little nervous talking about this (like many topics in the oft-heated dog and pet world!) but I've been unable to shake the feelings here.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I feel a little jolt every time I read "it" for a nonhuman animal, and have been struck by how this unfortunate practice appears even in dog-centered writing. I hope this post goes viral and yields the change we need-- because words DO matter and can shape our worldview.
I am truly grateful to you for your clarity and compassion in raising awareness about this!❤️🐾
Oh, Ellen, this means so much to hear from you. Thank YOU! There's definitely nuance to the whole discussion, but I too find myself continually feeling put off by the casual, unthinking use of "it" like this!
💓
I agree with not calling animals IT. They care beings, not objects.
Definitely!
Great post. Speciesism is not just words any more than racism and sexism are.
I always make sure I call a person's pet correctly, either he or she. The woodpecker that visits our garden every day we say he, even though it could be a she. We have a regular visit from a hedgehog and we never called him an "it". What is weird in my opinion, is when people call their car or their motorbike she or he and name it. That is wrong 😁
I try to do the same. If I'm unsure of sex, I try to opt for "they" for a balance of convenience and covering bases. Works well so far!
And ha! I don't mind the naming of inanimate cars / etc much personally, but I do understand why the practice can feel odd. I've been known to name some of our household belongings (like our kettle) just because I think it's cute 😂