How To Add Pronouns To Your Instagram Profile

Three smartphone screens display Instagram profiles emphasizing the use of pronouns: the first profile shows "Jonathan Van Ness they/them/she," the second "Emma Watson she/her," and the third "ALOK they/them." Each profile includes a profile picture, username, and additional personal information or links.

In 2021, Instagram joined Facebook in adding an optional space for pronouns on user profiles. 

This inclusive feature makes it easier for users to share their pronouns in a public space, which helps eliminate assumptions based on appearance — and normalizes pronouns — making the social media platform safer for people who are nonbinary, genderfluid, intersex, transitioning, or gender questioning. 

You can learn more about gender pronouns in these guides: she/her | he/him | they/them | he/they | she/they

Everybody has pronouns — and displaying them on your Instagram profile brings clarity and allyship to the social network. Here is a guide on how you can add your pronouns to your Instagram account in a few simple steps!

How to add your pronouns to your Instagram profile: 

1. Open the Instagram app and tap the profile icon, located on the far right of the bar on the bottom of the screen.

2. On your profile page, tap “Edit Profile.”

Smartphone screen showing the Instagram profile of "goodgoodgoodco" with a logo as the profile picture, 3,152 posts, 352k followers, and 1,149 following. The bio describes the account as a newspaper that inspires hope and goodness, mentions features by Miley Cyrus and The New York Times, and includes a link to their bio page. Icons for editing profile, settings, and other features are visible.

3. Tap the “Pronouns” field.

Smartphone screen displaying the 'Edit profile' section on an Instagram page, with an arrow pointing to the 'Pronouns' field, which is currently blank. The profile belongs to "Good Good Good" and includes their logo, bio highlighting positivity and features by notable entities, and options to edit pictures and add links.

4. In the “Add your pronouns” field, begin typing in your pronouns. Options will appear below as your type. You can add up to four to your Instagram profile. 

Smartphone screen displaying the 'Pronouns' input area in English on Instagram with "he" already entered, and suggestions for other pronouns such as "they," "them," "theirs," "thon," and "thons" listed below.

5. After you’ve selected your pronouns, you can toggle the option to “Show to Followers Only” or allow your pronouns to be visible to anyone who visits your profile. 

6. Tap the “Done” button. Your pronouns should now appear in your Instagram bio beside your name. 

Smartphone screen showing the Instagram profile for "meghancooking" with the pronouns "she/her/hers" in the bio section. The profile includes a profile picture, 702 posts, 833 followers, and 1,285 following, and identifies the account holder as a writer, comedian, and journalist affiliated with "@goodgoodgoodco" and "@capefeargamesnc," located in Wilmington, NC, USA. There are also links to websites and a row of highlighted story icons.

List of Instagram’s pronoun options:

Here is a comprehensive list of the English pronoun options currently available on the social media platform: 

  • Co
  • Cos 
  • E
  • Ey
  • Em 
  • Eir
  • Fae
  • Faer
  • Faers
  • He
  • Him
  • His
  • Her
  • Hers
  • It
  • Its
  • Mer
  • Mers
  • Ne
  • Nir
  • Nirs
  • Nee
  • Ner
  • Per
  • Pers
  • She
  • They
  • Them
  • Theirs
  • Thon
  • Thons
  • Ve
  • Vers
  • Vis
  • Vi
  • Vir
  • Xe
  • Xem
  • Xyr
  • Ze
  • Zir
  • Zie

Additional pronoun options are available in non-English languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Indonesian, Turkish, Arabic, Farsi, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Dutch, and Swedish.

Two smartphone screens showing the 'Pronouns' section of a social media app in the process of entering pronouns. The left screen is entering a pronoun starting with "D" in various languages including German, with suggestions like "dey," "dem," and "denen" displayed. The right screen is entering a pronoun starting with "E" in Spanish, with suggestions "ella," "elle," and "elli."

If you would like to request additional pronouns that are not currently available, you can visit this Instagram Help page to submit an inquiry. 

It’s become common practice for Instagram users to display their pronouns.

Smartphone screen showing the Instagram profile for "jvn" / Jonathan Van Ness with the pronouns "they/he/she" in the bio. The profile includes a profile picture encircled in pink and yellow, 3,675 posts, 5.7M followers, 1,285 following, and a bio describing the account holder as a host, founder, tour details, and a two-time New York Times bestseller, with a link to a tour website and story highlights below.

Jonathan Van Ness (one of our 2023 Helpers of the Year!) has “they/he/she” pronouns in their Instagram bio. The “Queer Eye” star and “Getting Curious” podcast host identifies as nonbinary and has spoken publicly about their pronoun journey. 

“Some days I feel like a man, but then other days I feel like a woman,” Van Ness told OUT Magazine. “I think my energies are really all over the place. Any opportunity I have to break down stereotypes of the binary, I am down for it, I'm here for it.”

Smartphone screen displaying the Instagram profile of "emmawatson" with the pronouns "she/her" in the bio. The profile includes a profile picture, 442 posts, 75.3M followers, 102 following, a brief greeting, and links to websites. There are also story highlights with titles like "British Vogue," "Renais," "Wonderland," "Paradoxe," and "HP Reunion."

Emma Watson displays “she/her” pronouns on her Instagram profile. The “Harry Potter” alum has long been vocal about gender equality and inclusivity. In 2017, Watson spoke about the significance of winning “Best Actor” for “Beauty and the Beast” at the first-ever gender-neutral MTV Movie Awards. 

“MTV’s move to create a genderless award for acting will mean something different for everyone, but to me it indicates that acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories,” Watson said in her acceptance speech. “Empathy and the ability to use your imagination should have no limits.”

Smartphone screen displaying the Instagram profile for "alokvmenon" with the pronouns "they/them" highlighted in the bio. The profile includes a profile picture encircled in yellow and pink, 2,067 posts, 1.3M followers, 214 following, and descriptions of the account holder as a poet, comedian, speaker, author, along with a link to their website and icons for various story highlights.

Alok Vaid-Menon — also known as ALOK — is a transgender artist who uses “they/them” pronouns in their Instagram profile. Through poetry, film, and performance art, Vaid-Menon uses their platform to advocate for transgender rights and visibility. In January 2024, Vaid-Menon attended Sundance to promote their short documentary film “ALOK.”

“Something I really appreciated about the final cut is that much of representation of my community dwells on our tragedy and violence,” Vaid-Menon said in an interview with Deadline about the film. “But what you really see in this film is a kind of vibrancy and aliveness that actually redefines transness not as something tragic or sad, but actually something really beautiful and ebullient for the entire world.”

Article Details

February 5, 2024 9:21 AM
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