[MR] Questions On Non-binary Pronouns

[WILLIAM SOUCY]

Hello!

I have been doing field and court heraldry for sometime time now (30+ years) and I always used to start my announcement cry with "Oyez! Oyez! My lords and ladies, pray attend!" 

I have amended my cry recently, "Oyez! Oyez! My lords, ladies and good gentles all, pray attend!"

Individually, I have used 'Good Gentle', or 'Kind Noble'.

Yours in service

Lord William Ringlancer of Locksley, Northern March Pursuivant Extraordinary


> On 04/21/2025 7:34 AM EDT Garth Groff and Sally Sanford via Atlantia <atlantia at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org> wrote:
> 
>  
> Noble friends,
> 
> Having an open discussion about any topic is rare on the Merry Rose, but
> there is a question that is of interest to me, and should be to us all.
> That topic is how we use pronouns and honorifics to address members who are
> non-binary. It is a source of confusion for me, but one which I am prepared
> to tackle to make all our friends feel comfortable and welcome.
> 
> So how do we address someone who is non-binary or transgender without
> giving them offense? We have at least one member locally who I am told
> prefers the "you, them, they" combination. That works in real life, and
> although I may stumble with it a bit, I am certainly willing to address
> them as they wish.
> 
> But in the SCA our shtick is to greet one another as M'lord or M'lady. This
> could be very confusing when dealing with non-binary folks, and may not be
> what that member prefers. The first time I encountered this question was
> while running the archery range at WoW several years ago and met someone
> who was obviously gender blended. As politely as possible I asked them what
> their preference would be. Their answer was, it didn't matter to them. I
> would like to believe that they were pleased I would at least try to be
> accomodating.
> 
> Though not in my shire, I have a nodding acquaintance with someone who is
> apparently non-binary and is now a baron/baroness. When we occasionally
> meet I can safely use "Your Excellency", and dodge the bullet, but this is
> a rare situation.
> 
> In some written or referential uses, we have a possible answer through the
> neutral term "honorable". "The Honored Lord" or "The Honored Lady" (without
> any context for non-binary usage) was still occasionally heard when I first
> joined 18 years ago. I was told its use was being discouraged, and indeed
> it has been several years since I have heard the term. Perhaps it is time
> we brought this back into general use, not strictly for those who are
> non-binary, but an alternative form of address for anybody and can thus
> include those who are non-binary or gender-blended without offering offence.
> 
>  I would welcome anyone on this board to share their views, keeping in mind
> good will to all on what may be a sensitive issue.
> 
> Yours Aye,
> 
> Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
> Continuing a crusade to keep the original Merry Rose relevant and in
> business.
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