Inclusive Practice_ Pronoun Usage _ Office for Diversity and Inclusion

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A report on how to avoid offending various genders/orientations.

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  • 8/29/2015 InclusivePractice:PronounUsage|OfficeforDiversityandInclusion

    http://diversity.utk.edu/2015/08/pronouns/ 1/4

    InclusivePractice:PronounUsageAugust26,2015 InclusivePractice DonnaBraquet,genderexpression,genderidentity,genderneutral,

    inclusion,InclusivePractice,LGBT,LGBTQ,LGBTQIA,PrideCenter,pronouns

    ByDonnaBraquet,DirectorofthePrideCenter(http://pridecenter.utk.edu)

    Withthenewsemesterbeginningandaninfluxofnewstudentsoncampus,itisimportanttoparticipateinmakingourcampuswelcomingandinclusiveforall.Onewaytodothatistouseastudentschosennameandtheircorrectpronouns.

    Weshouldnotassumesomeonesgenderbytheirappearance,norbywhatislistedonarosterorinstudentinformationsystems.Transgenderpeopleandpeoplewhodonotidentitywithinthegenderbinarymayuseadifferentnamethantheirlegalnameandpronounsoftheirgenderidentity,ratherthanthepronounsofthesextheywereassignedatbirth.

    IntroductionsInthefirstweeksofclasses,insteadofcallingroll,askeveryonetoprovidetheirnameandpronouns.Thisensuresyouarenotsinglingouttransgenderornonbinarystudents.Thenameastudentusesmaynotbetheoneontheofficialroster,andtherosternamemaynotbethesamegenderastheonethestudentnowuses.

  • 8/29/2015 InclusivePractice:PronounUsage|OfficeforDiversityandInclusion

    http://diversity.utk.edu/2015/08/pronouns/ 2/4

    LATESTNEWS

    EAPReceivesFederalTRIOFunding

    Dr.JioniLewishonoredasQuestScholar

    LibrariesDiversityCommitteeDevelopsCampusandNational

    Programs

    Thispracticeworksoutsideoftheclassroomaswell.Youcanstartmeetingswithrequestingintroductionsthatincludenamesandpronouns,introduceyourselfwithyournameandchosenpronouns,orwhenprovidingnametags,askattendeestowriteintheirnameandpronouns.

    GenderneutralpronounsWearefamiliarwiththesingularpronounsshe,her,hersandhe,him,his,butthosearenottheonlysingularpronouns.Infact,therearedozensofgenderneutralpronouns.

    Afewofthemostcommonsingulargenderneutralpronounsarethey,them,their(usedassingular),ze,hir,hirs,andxe,xem,xyr.

    Thesemaysoundalittlefunnyatfirst,butonlybecausetheyarenew.Thesheandhepronounswouldsoundstrangetooifwehadbeentaughtzewhengrowingup.

    Howdoyouknow?Howdoyouknowwhatpronounsomeoneuses?Ifyoucannotusethemethodsmentionedabove,youcanalwayspolitelyask.Oh,nicetomeetyou,[insertname].WhatpronounsshouldIuse?isaperfectlyfinequestiontoask.

    Themorewemakesharingofpronounsauniversalpractice,themoreinclusivewewillbeasacampus.Whenourorganizationalcultureshiftstowhereaskingforchosennamesandpronounsisthestandardpractice,italleviatesaheavyburdenforpersonsalreadymarginalizedbytheirgenderexpressionoridentity.

    LearnmoreTolearnmoreaboutgenderidentity,genderneutralpronouns,ortransgendertopics,considersigningupforaSafeZoneworkshopatsafezone.utk.edu(http://safezone.utk.edu).

  • 8/29/2015 InclusivePractice:PronounUsage|OfficeforDiversityandInclusion

    http://diversity.utk.edu/2015/08/pronouns/ 3/4

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