In the English language, pronouns are divided into 'he' or 'she' depending on the gender of the person you're talking about. Referring to someone as 'it' is incredibly rude, as it's almost entirely used for inanimate objects or wild animals. Calling someone 'it' is therefore tantamount to denying he or she is a real person. Compare What Measure Is a Non-Human? and Pronoun Trouble. Examples: