I don't like calling animals "it"

78% Normal
15 Comments

For some reason, I have never felt comfortable calling animals "it". To me, the term "it" seemed more like a term for inanimate objects, something animals are not. Granted, the animals probably don't give a damn (I studied biology and neuroscience), and I see no ethical reason to stop, but for some reason, "it" never really clicked for me. It would sound better for me if there was some other term for non-human animate objects, and no, this is not some "animals have feelings so let's treat them like humans", because as I said, they probably don't care (maybe except African Grey Parrots, but still not sure), but it just never clicked. Even in some ways calling plants "it" may not click to me.

Is this normal?

Voting Results
78% Normal
Based on 37 votes (29 yes)
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Comments ( 15 )
  • thegypsysailor
    8 years ago

    I don't think it's at all normal, but I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as you don't get all over every one else to feel as you do. lol
    I certainly ain't gonna check out every animal I encounter, to see if it's a he or she.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      8 years ago

      I'm not throwing a fit over it. I was just saying it doesn't click in my mind.

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      • thegypsysailor
        8 years ago

        I know. I was just funnin wit chu.

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  • charli.m
    8 years ago

    I call animals "he" b tty default because my grandmother told us that was the correct way to do it when we were children. She said "it" was for objects.

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    • shuggy-chan
      8 years ago

      pets is peoples too

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      • charli.m
        8 years ago

        My dog's a cat :(

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    • charli.m
      8 years ago

      *by default

      Fucking phone.

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  • Freedom_
    8 years ago

    I don't like calling them 'it' either, but I still do if I don't know the sex.

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  • regisphilbin
    8 years ago

    Why do storms usually given female names?

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  • Goomats
    8 years ago

    I hate that too...especially if the person KNOWS the gender of the animal in question. Like if it's a random hamster whose gender you don't know, then it's not horrible to call it "it". However, if you KNOW that hamster and you KNOW he's male, call him a "he".

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  • DolphinAngel
    8 years ago

    Normal, I feel the same way...

    In German, you refer to animals in general as "it" but every animal has a gender in the German language...

    For example, the dog (Der Hund) is male and the cat (Die Katze) is female so the problem of referring to animals as "it" does not really occur to me in my Native language...

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  • Ace9
    8 years ago

    Well since ppl call ships, airplanes, helicopters, jets, cars etc. "She", I can't see why we call animals "it"... Cuz... Uh... I dunno mayb I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure animals r more alive than air crafts, right?

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  • Arm0se
    8 years ago

    I call animals "it" or "that" sometimes. But I also call people "they" and "them" sometimes even if I know they're names.

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  • sky3820
    8 years ago

    Hate when my friends say it when talking about pets..NORMAL!

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  • dom180
    8 years ago

    I agree. "It" is for objects, and animals aren't objects. You could say "them" instead of "it".

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