The word used to show that something belongs to or is a part of a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned. It is the possessive form of “it.”
Formed in English by adding the possessive “-s” to “it,” similar to “his” or “hers.” Earlier English used “his” for neuter possession (as in “the sunne hath lost his light”) before “its” became standard in the 1600s. The lack of an apostrophe follows the pattern of other possessive pronouns like “his” and “hers.”
“Its” breaks the usual rule: possessives take an apostrophe—except this one. That’s because it behaves like “his” and “hers,” which never use apostrophes either. “It’s” with an apostrophe is actually a contraction of “it is” or “it has,” not a possessive at all.
Like 'it', 'its' has been misused to refer to people in dehumanizing ways, stripping them of recognized gender and personhood. This reflects broader linguistic patterns where marginalized groups are treated as objects rather than subjects.
Do not use 'its' for a person; use 'their' or the person’s stated pronouns. 'Its' is appropriate for objects, organizations, and non-sentient systems.
["their"]
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