Watching people mention their pronouns in their Instagram bio has become so common that the app now has a dedicated area where users can put pronouns without taking up valuable profile space.
The company announced the new feature on Twitter, stating that it is currently only available in a few countries but will be expanded soon. According to Instagram, users can fill out a form to have a pronoun added if it isn't already there, or they can simply add it to their bio. Instagram says it's available in "a few countries," but doesn't elaborate.
Many platforms allow users to add pronouns to their profiles. Dating apps like OkCupid, as well as other apps like Lyft, have already implemented the feature.
Facebook began allowing users to define their pronouns in 2014, though the feature was limited to “he/him, she/her, and they/them.” This appears to be the case even though Instagram will provide more options.
Anything you choose will show up in a slightly darker font next to your name — there's also the option to show this only to followers if a person's gender isn't something they want to share publicly. Of course, if you want to freeform it or use an emoji or fancy font, you can do so instead of using the "official" pronouns.
Not everybody feels obliged to specify their gender, but the practice has become so common that Instagram made a wise decision by incorporating it into the profile.
