With pronouns, we refer to someone: he/him/his (masculine), she/her/her (feminine) or they/them/their (gender-neutral). Many HOGENTians include their pronouns in their e-mail signature. That way, we make it easier to correctly refer to each other, while also indicating that we want to take others' preferences and identities into account. It's a simple way to make HOGENT an inclusive university of applied sciences and arts where everyone feels at home.
| subject (singular) | object (singular) | possessive (singular) | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
masculine pronouns |
he He studies at HOGENT. |
him I have seen him. |
his He was on his bike. |
|
feminine pronouns |
she She studies at HOGENT. |
her I have seen her. |
her She was on her bike. |
|
gender-neutral pronouns |
they They study at HOGENT. |
them I have seen them. |
their They were on their bike. |
Using the correct pronouns.
Everyone likes to be addressed with the correct pronouns. Based on someone's name, physique, hairstyle, clothing or voice, we might assume which pronouns we think belong to them. Do we read someone as male? Then we often automatically say “he” and “his”. Do we read someone as female? Then we usually say “she” and “her”. But the reality is more complex than that.
People with non-binary gender identity do not feel (entirely) male or female. Unlike gender expression (= how you present yourself to the outside world), your gender identity (= your inner feeling) is invisible. That's why students at HOGENT can indicate which pronouns they like to be addressed with.
As a HOGENT student, you can indicate your preferred pronouns via ibamaflex.hogent.be. As a new student, you can select your preference when you register.
You can also find out someone's preference by asking:
'Hey, I'm Koen and my pronouns are he/him/his, what are yours?'
Do you make a mistake? Correct yourself and thank the person who brought it to your attention. Sometimes it can take a while to get used to a new situation, but practice makes perfect.
With gender-neutral pronouns (they/them/their), you can refer to one person or multiple people without saying anything about their gender.
There are several ways to avoid using gender-specific pronouns such as he or she. Here are some alternative options.
Take, for example, the sentence 'The student was on his/her bike.'
- Use the you-form.
→ You were on your bike.
- Replace possessive pronouns with articles.
→ The student was on the bike.
- Use plural and refer to they/them.
→ The students were on their bikes.
- Use a fictional person as an example.
→ Suppose student Sarah was on her bike…
Tip: put your pronouns in your e-mail signature.
This way, you make it easy for others, while also indicating that you want to take their preferences and identity into account. You can use a hyperlink to refer to this page for more information.
Name (he/him/his)
Function
Entity
Address - 9000 Ghent
T +32 0 000 00 00 - M +32 0 000 00 00
www.hogent.be
Name (she/her/her)
Function
Entity
Address - 9000 Ghent
T +32 0 000 00 00 - M +32 0 000 00 00
www.hogent.be
Name (they/them/their)
Function
Entity
Address - 9000 Ghent
T +32 0 000 00 00 - M +32 0 000 00 00
www.hogent.be