iels
Iels is a gender-inclusive pronoun used in French to refer to a person or group who does not identify as strictly male or female, or when the gender is unknown. The form is a combination of il and elle; the singular pronoun is iel, and the plural is iels. In sentences, verbs are conjugated as with other third-person pronouns: iel est, iels sont, and so on. For example: “Iel est professeur,” or “Iels parlent français.”
Origins and usage context: Iels emerged in Francophone LGBTQ+ and feminist communities in the early 21st century
Reception and considerations: Supporters view iels as a practical solution to include nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people