H Ford, they/them/theirs, Manuscript Editor, JAMA Network

There is a particular type of online pedant whose view of the English language has the effect of invalidating strangers’ sexual and gender identities. Much physical and digital ink has been spilled discussing the validity of the singular “they” when referring to a single gender-unknown subject of discussion and as an intentional personal pronoun.

I will not relitigate this issue here, but it should suffice that the AMA Manual of Style (sections 11.12.2 and 7.2.3.2, specifically) concurs with the Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Stylebook, and historical use (eg, Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson) in permitting the singular they.

Now with that said, let’s talk about respecting our queer friends, family, colleagues, and authors by using the honorific Mx! According to Merriam-Webster, the first use of the gender-neutral honorific Mx was in the 1970s, but its widespread use has only gained momentum within the past 5 to 10 years.

It can be helpful to compare Mx with Ms, another relatively recently developed honorific. Although the very first publication of the honorific Ms was in a 1901 article and was likely more focused on expediency of the address than the linguistic and sociopolitical ramifications of defining a woman by her social status, most people’s understanding of Ms is rooted in Gloria Steinem’s eponymous magazine (https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/magazine/25FOB-onlanguage-t.html).

Mx is an honorific that affords the same respect to nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people that has traditionally been given to gender-conforming individuals who do not hold advanced degrees. As awareness grows of the existence of gender identities outside the male/female binary, more people every day feel comfortable publicly identifying as nonbinary, genderqueer, and agender.

The widespread use of Mx signals acknowledgment of and respect toward these individuals. Yet there is a broader application of the honorific Mx that we haven’t fully considered, one that is as practical as it is gender inclusive. Just as the title Ms allowed us to ask why a woman’s marital status affected how she was addressed, Mx should allow us to ask why a person’s gender should matter to any respectful form of address.

For these reasons, JAMA Network now offers Mx as a salutation for submissions to all of its journals!

As editors and writers, we occupy a unique position in the process of the legitimization of nascent linguistic terms. Let’s use that power for good!