• by Kirsten Onsgard , Op-Ed Contributor, September 15, 2017

As more people embrace gender fluidity, brands are scrambling to keep up.

That progressiveness is especially true for a much sought-after demographic: teenagers today. 

The 13- to 20-year-old members of Generation Z have long ditched the idea that girls play with dolls and boys play with trucks.

But marketers are struggling to change their messaging.

According to a 2016 study by J. Walter Thomson Intelligence, 56% of U.S. Gen Zers know someone who prefers a gender-neutral pronoun; that is, not “he/him” or “she/her,” but perhaps a third-person pronoun such as “they/them” or newer pronouns such as “ze.”

Their spending habits reflect it, too. According to the same study, members of Generation Z do not see a need to purchase products geared toward their gender all the time, including clothes, shoes, deodorant, fragrances and sports equipment.

Gen Z has $44 billion in purchasing power, according to a study by IBM and the National Retail Federation. Some brands are sending a strong message by embracing gender neutrality and transgender issues.

CoverGirl introduced its first CoverBoy model, James Charles, who found fame through YouTube and Instagram tutorials. Target removed “boy” and “girl” labels from the toy aisle. And in the larger zeitgeist, transgender celebrities such as Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner command an audience of millions.

Who is “they”?

For email marketers, it can come down to semantics — especially when it comes to choosing the correct pronoun or gender-neutral pronouns. Do we use “he,” “she” or “they”? And what about newer, gender-neutral pronouns such as “ze”?

“He” used to be the norm when referring to an unidentified person: for example, “A student should always do his homework,” or “Someone left his scarf in the office.”

That practice has generally been abandoned in favor of more gender-inclusive language: for example, “Each student should complete his or her homework on time.”

But using the pronouns “he or she” can be cumbersome, especially in sharp, casual and witty email and social media copy. Worse yet are antiquated terms such as “one.”

Instead, marketers often use the third person “they” — even if that might make some grammar nerds cringe.

“They” is quick and understandable. It avoids choosing a gender for the customer or unidentifiable person, and is inclusive of those who don’t identify as male or female. They’re all treated the same.

What about “ze”?

Marketers who are looking to be especially personal and inclusive might take a tip from online dating.

In 2014, OKCupid launched a handful of options for users to identify their gender, including agender, cisgender, gender nonconforming, trans man and trans woman. Facebook has since followed suit with 58 gender options.

In response, marketers could update their landing pages with a choice of preferred pronoun and expanded gender options.

But giving users this option isn’t just a way to connect with Gen Z. It legitimizes those who identify as gender nonconforming, eschews stereotypes and makes marketers “own their values,” Samantha Skey of SheKnows Media told Adweek.

As verbiage and values shift, consult the GLAAD style guide and watch large publishers for how they approach gender-neutral pronouns to get a sense of how it can be adopted into your email marketing messages.

Acceptance for all gender identities isn’t a passing fad but a “profound change,” Trinity College assistant professor Jen Jack Gieseking told Fortune. Progressive brands and marketers need to tweak their language not just to keep up with young people, but to reflect the times.