After two years of work, the University of Windsor has a new campus resource to help its community navigate the use of pronouns.
Communication, Media and Film, and Political Science student Fei Qin and Provost Doctor Patti Weir produced a comprehensive guide for instructors, students, staff, and those who visit the university.
"We wanted to give our community the right tools to be able to engage respectfully with each other and gain an understanding of the power of language in creating a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where everyone thrives," said Weir.
Qin approached Weir after a friend who was in the process of transitioning expressed concern that some professors on campus didn't use their preferred pronouns.
"People may not understand the impact of being misidentified can have," Qin said.
The resource includes a half-hour video with members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community designed to give users a greater understanding of the challenges faced by individuals who use pronouns outside the gender binary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mHcu_zbEOI&t=127s&ab_channel=uwindsor
Doctor Weir said they hoped by sharing those experiences, others would gain perspective on the importance of using preferred pronouns.
"Disregarding an individual's gender identity denies them a significant part of themselves," said Weir.
Qin points out trans people have always existed, although they are only now becoming more visible in Western society.
"If you look at different cultures, China or India or even Indigenous communities, we have seen examples of where trans bodies are accepted," she added.