In a recent interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter,’ Lily Gladstone, acclaimed star of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” shared insights into her decision to adopt she/they pronouns, emphasizing its connection to her Indigenous heritage and its role in decolonizing gender.
Gladstone, raised on the Blackfeet Nation reservation in Montana, discussed the absence of gendered pronouns in most Native languages, including Blackfeet. She explained that, in her community, gender is implied through names rather than binary pronouns. Reflecting on her grandfather’s Blackfeet name, which incorporated a woman’s name despite his gender, Gladstone noted the fluidity in gender expression within her culture.
The actress highlighted the historical practice of assigning non-traditional names based on societal roles, mentioning women given men’s names due to their roles as providers and warriors.
Addressing her personal pronoun choice, Gladstone expressed that using she/they pronouns is a means of personal decolonization of gender. Additionally, she described it as a way to navigate her identity in various social settings, noting feeling different in groups of women and not identifying with masculinity in male-dominated spaces.
Gladstone’s choice to embrace she/they pronouns offers a unique perspective on gender dynamics, rooted in her Indigenous background and personal experiences.
