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How to Configure Your Account's Personal Pronouns - Canvas

How to Configure Your Account's Personal Pronouns - Canvas

Owned by Brian Ledwell
Last updated: Feb 27, 2025 by Liz Christopher
3 min read

Pronouns in Canvas

Canvas offers users a gender pronouns selection option. This option can be used to indicate how you would like to be referred to in class, in online discussions, and anywhere else Canvas displays your name. 

If you opt in to this system, your name will now show up as Name (pronouns) wherever your name displays - e.g. Vic Herbert (They/Them).

How do I change my pronouns in Canvas?

To choose, change, or remove your pronouns:

  1. Log in to Canvas.

  2. Select Account (your profile icon).

  3. Select Settings.

  4. Select Edit.

  5. Choose an option from the drop-down menu.

  6. Select Update Settings to save.

For more detailed instructions, please see How do I select personal pronouns in my user account as a student? from the Canvas Student Guide, or How do I select personal pronouns in my user account as an instructor? from the Canvas Instructor Guide.

What pronouns can I choose from?

The Canvas system is currently limited to pre-configured options and does not offer a write-in option. You can choose from the following:

  • None

  • Any pronouns

  • Use my name

  • Ask me privately

  • Ae/aer

  • Ey/em

  • He/him

  • He or they

  • Per/pers

  • She/her

  • She or they

  • They/Them

  • Ve/ver

  • Xe/xem

  • Ze/hir

  • Zie/zir

The following table provides some examples of how to pronounce and utilize various pronouns in different parts of speech.

Pronouns

Pronunciation

Subjective

Objective

Possessive Adjective

Possessive Pronoun

Reflexive

Pronouns

Pronunciation

Subjective

Objective

Possessive Adjective

Possessive Pronoun

Reflexive

Ae/aer/aers/aerself

Ay/air/airs

Ae wrote

I like aer

Aer assignment is submitted

That seat is aers

Ae loves aerself

Ey/em/eir/emself

Ey/em/air

Ey wrote

I like em

Eir assignment is submitted

That seat is eirs

Ey loves emself

Per/pers/perself

Pur, purs

Per wrote

I like pers

Pers assignment is submitted

That seat is pers

Per loves perself

They/Them/Their/Themselves

They/them/their

They wrote

I like them

Their assignment is submitted

That seat is theirs

They love themselves

Ve/ver/vers/verself

Vee/vair/vairs

Ve wrote

I like ver

Ver assignment is submitted

That seat is vers

Ve loves verself

Xe/xem/xyrs/xyrself

Zee/zem/zeers

Xe wrote

I like xem

Xyrs assignment is submitted

That seat is xyrs

Xe loves xyrself

Ze/hir/hirs/hirself

Zee/heer/heers

Ze wrote

I like hir

Hir assignment is submitted

That seat is hirs

Ze loves hirself

Zie/zir/zirs/zirself

Zee/zeer/zeers

Zie wrote

I like zir

Zir assignment is submitted

That seat is zirs

Zie loves zirself

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Canvas pronouns function will display anywhere your name displays in Canvas. This includes previous semesters’ online discussion posts, and screenshots of Canvas content, which may still be visible to your previous instructors and classmates. Your pronouns will auto-update in every Canvas location whenever you change your pronouns in the system.

The pronouns you select to display in Canvas will only display in Canvas. Your pronouns configured in Canvas will not necessarily display in your other campus systems and changes in those systems will not impact your account’s configured pronouns in Canvas.

Digital Learning Environment administrators consulted with Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion staff at each UW System campus to establish the list of options available to DLE users. This list also includes options available to UW-Madison users and those drawn from similar lists at other institutions. Given the restraints of Canvas and the usability of screen readers with drop-down lists, we have restricted the list to its current form, but plan to regularly audit this configuration to better serve DLE users.

Policies for name and pronoun use vary by institution. If you have any questions about your institution’s policies, please reach out to your local staff, listed by campus in the directory linked below.

UW System LGBTQ+ Contacts & Resources Directory

If you would like technical assistance with Canvas, please contact Canvas Support, available 24/7, via the Help menu in Canvas. Support options include chat, an email form, and phone.

See Also:

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