People can ask about someone’s names and pronouns in a respectful way. For example:
-
When welcoming someone, you can say, “Hello, my name is [insert name] and my pronouns are [insert pronouns]. Please introduce yourselves by sharing your name and pronouns if you are comfortable doing so.”
-
When introducing yourself, you can say, “Hi my name is [insert name] and my pronouns are [insert pronouns]. May I ask what your pronouns are, if you use them?”
Consider the following strategies:
-
Share your own name and pronouns first;
-
Ask everyone in the group the same questions, rather than only asking people whose pronouns you have a question about;
-
Do not limit a person’s choice of pronouns or require them to share their pronouns.
One helpful resource to learn about pronoun usage is my pronouns.org.
Key terms: Source: State Board of Education Statement and Guidance on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students - Michigan Department of Education
Gender identity—a person’s deeply-held internal sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender, regardless of the biological sex they were assigned at birth.
Gender expression—the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through one’s name, pronouns, behavior, clothing, haircut, activities, voice, mannerisms, and other distinctive cultural markers of gender.
Transgender—an adjective describing a person whose gender identity or expression is different from their biological sex assigned at birth.
Gender nonconforming (GNC)—an umbrella term for people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations of the biological sex they were assigned at birth. GNC people may identify as girls, boys, neither girls nor boys, or some other gender.
For further information:
Mccann, E., & Brown, M. (2018). Vulnerability and Psychosocial Risk Factors Regarding People who Identify as Transgender. A Systematic Review of the Research Evidence. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(1), 3-15.
James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality.