{"id":238,"date":"2012-07-30T11:02:32","date_gmt":"2012-07-30T11:02:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/?page_id=238"},"modified":"2026-03-20T20:31:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T00:31:48","slug":"faq","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/","title":{"rendered":"Plures 101: System FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This FAQ is inspired by several excellent plural FAQs out there, including LB Lee\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/baaingtree.deviantart.com\/gallery\/?offset=48#\/d4bf0rz\">Questions&#8221; comic<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"http:\/\/dreamshore.net\/amorpha\/faq.html\">Amorpha\u2019s FAQ<\/a> page. For more information read Em\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/articles\/skeptics\/\">Plurality for Sceptics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1665\" src=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"The text Plures 101. \" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-1536x1536.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_3491-2048x2048.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_71 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Basics\" title=\"Basics\">Basics<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#What_are_your_preferred_pronouns_and_forms_of_address\" title=\"What are your preferred pronouns and forms of address?\">What are your preferred pronouns and forms of address?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_long_do_you_think_youve_been_plural\" title=\"How long do you think you&#8217;ve been plural?\">How long do you think you&#8217;ve been plural?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_big_is_your_system\" title=\"How big is your system?\">How big is your system?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_do_I_learn_more_about_you_as_individuals\" title=\"How do I learn more about you as individuals?\">How do I learn more about you as individuals?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Is_there_someone_called_Government_Name_or_deadname\" title=\"Is there someone called [Government Name] or [deadname]?\">Is there someone called [Government Name] or [deadname]?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#What_genders_are_you\" title=\"What gender(s) are you?\">What gender(s) are you?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_do_you_sometimes_say_%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%9D_and_sometimes_%E2%80%9Cwe%E2%80%9D\" title=\"How do you sometimes say &#8220;I\u201d and sometimes \u201cwe&#8221;?\">How do you sometimes say &#8220;I\u201d and sometimes \u201cwe&#8221;?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_%E2%80%9Cout%E2%80%9D_are_you\" title=\"How \u201cout&#8221; are you?\">How \u201cout&#8221; are you?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#How_can_you_have_people_in_your_body_that_have_different_ages_ethnicities_species_or_personal_histories\" title=\"How can you have people in your body that have different ages, ethnicities, species, or personal histories?\">How can you have people in your body that have different ages, ethnicities, species, or personal histories?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Do_you_have_a_%E2%80%9Chost%E2%80%9D_%E2%80%9Ccore%E2%80%9D_or_anyone_who_identifies_themselves_with_the_body\" title=\"Do you have a \u201chost,&#8221; \u201ccore,\u201d or anyone who identifies themselves with the body?\">Do you have a \u201chost,&#8221; \u201ccore,\u201d or anyone who identifies themselves with the body?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Miscellaneous\" title=\"Miscellaneous\">Miscellaneous<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Mac_or_PC\" title=\"Mac or PC?\">Mac or PC?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/faq\/#Why_does_your_punctuation_and_spelling_vary_from_article_to_article\" title=\"Why does your punctuation and spelling vary from article to article?\">Why does your punctuation and spelling vary from article to article?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basics\"><\/span>Basics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_your_preferred_pronouns_and_forms_of_address\"><\/span>What are your preferred pronouns and forms of address?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As a system? Third-person: they\/them\/theirs\/themselves; first-person: we\/us\/ours\/ourselves. As a group, call us Plures. We use plural grammatical constructions: \u201cPlures <em>are<\/em> busy,\u201d etc. Individual system members are often called \u201cPluresians.\u201d We refer to ourselves as \u201cpeople&#8221; or &#8220;system members&#8221;; don\u2019t call us \u201calters,\u201d \u201cpersonalities,\u201d &#8220;ego states,&#8221; \u201cparts,\u201d \u201cfragments,\u201d \u201cpersonas,\u201d or anything like that. Individuals have their own pronoun preferences; ask them what they prefer if you&#8217;re not sure.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_do_you_think_youve_been_plural\"><\/span>How long do you think you&#8217;ve been plural?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As long as we can remember.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_big_is_your_system\"><\/span>How big is your system?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Technically, infinite; in practice, there are about six of us who come out regularly.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_learn_more_about_you_as_individuals\"><\/span>How do I learn more about you as individuals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We have a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/about-us\/selected-bios\/\">selected bios!<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_there_someone_called_Government_Name_or_deadname\"><\/span>Is there someone called [Government Name] or [deadname]?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Nobody has either of those names here; the name on our ID is a government-recognised name that functions more like a stereotypical online handle. As for the deadname, we got rid of that in court over a decade ago.\u00a0<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_genders_are_you\"><\/span>What gender(s) are you?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most of us are men, though we have a few women and nonbinary people here as well. We\u2019re transmasculine and transitioned a long time ago and don\u2019t talk about it a lot, except for articles that address the topic directly (e.g., Yavari\u2019s &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/articles\/transitioning-while-plural\/\">Transitioning while Plural&#8221;<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_sometimes_say_%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%9D_and_sometimes_%E2%80%9Cwe%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>How do you sometimes say &#8220;I\u201d and sometimes \u201cwe&#8221;?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If one of us says \u201cI,&#8221; it refers to their individual experiences or emotions; \u201cwe&#8221; refers to the system at large (or the people present at the time). Language is slippery, and we recognise that it can be confusing.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_%E2%80%9Cout%E2%80%9D_are_you\"><\/span>How \u201cout&#8221; are you?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It varies, though in practice we tell very few people about our multiplicity. We just don\u2019t think people will understand well enough for us to talk about ourselves in detail.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_can_you_have_people_in_your_body_that_have_different_ages_ethnicities_species_or_personal_histories\"><\/span>How can you have people in your body that have different ages, ethnicities, species, or personal histories?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Short answer:<\/em> We just have.<br \/>\n<em>Long answer:<\/em> We have a complicated and intricate subjective \u201cheadspace,\u201d in which people have their own histories and identities independent of the front&#8217;s. It&#8217;s also common for plural systems\u2014even trauma-based systems\u2014to have system members whose appearance and background are different from the front body&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_you_have_a_%E2%80%9Chost%E2%80%9D_%E2%80%9Ccore%E2%80%9D_or_anyone_who_identifies_themselves_with_the_body\"><\/span>Do you have a \u201chost,&#8221; \u201ccore,\u201d or anyone who identifies themselves with the body?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes and no. We have two original members\u2014Hess and Richard. We\u2019ve had some erroneous guesses over the past several years, but this is the likeliest.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Miscellaneous\"><\/span>Miscellaneous<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mac_or_PC\"><\/span>Mac or PC?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Mac. Windows is dreadful.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_does_your_punctuation_and_spelling_vary_from_article_to_article\"><\/span>Why does your punctuation and spelling vary from article to article?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before we adopted a consensus style in 2024, we used to use individual headmates\u2019 preferred punctuation and spelling conventions on each article. The consensus style uses British spelling (-our, -ise, -re, and so on), but North American punctuation (periods\/full stops and commas inside quotation marks, for example). We make some spelling exceptions, such as \u201ctoward\u201d instead of \u201ctowards\u201d and \u201cacknowledgment\u201d instead of \u201cacknowledgement.\u201d Numbers below 100 are written as words. Jamie, our copyeditor-in-chief, insisted on the Oxford comma, over the objections of Jack and Vova. Vocabulary and usage continue to vary from person to person. During the transition period, you may still see articles written with individual spelling and punctuation standards. (Forgive us; we\u2019re copyeditors.) Blog entries will continue to use individual spelling and punctuation standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This FAQ is inspired by several excellent plural FAQs out there, including LB Lee\u2019s \u201cQuestions&#8221; comic\u00a0and Amorpha\u2019s FAQ page. For more information read Em\u2019s Plurality for Sceptics. Basics What are your preferred pronouns and forms of address? As a system? Third-person: they\/them\/theirs\/themselves; first-person: we\/us\/ours\/ourselves. As a group, call us Plures. We use plural grammatical constructions: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"coauthors":[12],"class_list":{"0":"post-238","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry","6":"has-post-thumbnail"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1714,"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/238\/revisions\/1714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.exunoplures.org\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}