Recent coinages such as “ne” and “xe” are just some of the gender-neutral pronouns being suggested by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for teachers and administrators ahead of the coming school year.
They are part of broader guidance offered by the state online called “Creating Gender-Inclusive Schools and Classrooms.”
The webpage says that in addition to such pronouns as he/him, she/her and they, “some people prefer to use gender-neutral pronouns, such as ne, ve, ze/zie and xe.”
The department encourages faculty and staff to ask students how they identify if they aren’t sure.
Additionally, “binary gender” is denounced, called the “faulty concept that there are only two genders: male and female.