No, nobody is going to force you to use gender-neutral language. Nobody will get offended if you do not use gender-neutral language because nobody expects you to. That's one reason why you should give it a try. It's cliche, but never be afraid to try new things, right? And why not try doing something that can make a difference in someone's day?

Gender-neutral language includes using words such as "they, them, y'all, people," over words like "he, she, you guys." Obviously, if you know someone's preferred pronouns, go ahead and use them. You don't have to use gender-neutral language all the time, but it's appropriate to use gender-neutral language when you might not know what someone's preferred pronouns are or if you're addressing a large group of people. It's a nice gesture.

Non-binary people exist in this world, and everyday people get offended by their existence. We can't refer to someone based on their biological genitalia. That's just silly. And so, many people who fall within the non-binary sphere do not refer to themselves based on their biological genitalia, so why should you? Some people like expressing both feminine and masculine characteristics. Some people like changing it up day to day. Then some don't express feminine or masculine. All of that is okay, and non-binary individuals will not get offended if you don't use gender-neutral language. If you purposefully don't refer to them by their preferred pronouns when you very well know what their preferred pronouns are, then shame on you. Don't get offended that someone doesn't fit your definition of normal.

So, just give gender-neutral language a shot. There's no harm in doing so, and when you actually make an effort to use gender-neutral language, then someone who thinks gender-neutral language is important will notice that, and it will go a long way. That's why you should at least try. Why wouldn't you want to take advantage of the opportunity to possibly make someone's day better? That little acknowledgment that non-binary people and allies exist in this world can make a difference. So go ahead, try it out.

How do you try to use gender-neutral language? First of all, try to stop saying "he or she." Stop doing that in general. "Them" or "they" is a very common and easier substitute if you ask me, but I suppose if you're writing a paper and want any help you can then I understand why you would use "he or she" (on that note, when you write a paper and say "men and women," help reach that word count by saying "men, women, and non-binary people").

Another great and very common way to use gender-neutral language is to say "you folks" or "you all" or my favorite, "y'all," instead of "you guys." Sure, a lot of people just roll with it, but there are some people in this world where the very last thing they want to be called is a guy. If we're going to address all genders as guys, then let's just change the definition of "guy" to something else (something gender-neutral).

One great way to implement gender-neutral language or help understand gendered language more is to make preferred pronouns more commonly acknowledged. Let's say you're in a group of some sort and you're all going around and introducing yourselves. You say, "Hi, my name is _____, I'm in this major, my preferred pronouns are [he/him/his, she/her/hers, they/them/theirs, zi/zir/zirs, etc.], and I'm from this place." By referring to what your preferred pronouns are, whether you're non-binary or not, it can really make someone's day and it also helps acknowledge the fact not everyone refers to themselves in accordance to their gender expression or biological sex.

So, you don't have to try out gender-neutral language. People who prefer it are used to it not being used, but if you do happen to try it out, I hope you really make someone's day a whole lot better.