Pronoun Awkwardness

[The37thElement]

9th grade is the first time in my life that I have been around a transgender individual. I completely support their choice, yet calling a transgender biological boy a girl (she and her) is really difficult for me because my natural instinct is to use the pronouns assigned to their biological gender. Is there a way I can overcome this roadblock?

[Babs]

Just do your best to refer to a transgender person by their pronouns. When you think about them, practice using their pronouns in your head. If you get them wrong, apologize and continue. Don't ask invasive questions and just be respectful.

[Elysium]

Focus on using the right pronouns for a while. You'll find that you get used to it pretty quickly. If you screw up, like Berea said, apologize and try not to make the same mistake again. Don't worry about it so much; it's easy enough to adjust to, and it makes a world of difference for the individual.