SUNY Binghamton encourages 'Pronoun Etiquette' for 'Everyday Conversation'
Preferred pronouns students may use include 'zie/zir/zirs,' 'ey/em/eirs,' and 've/ver/vers.'
The LGBTQ Center stresses the importance of correcting either oneself or others when they 'make a mistake with someone's pronouns.'
The State University of New York at Binghamton (SUNY Binghamton) provides “Pronoun Etiquette“ instructions to help students and staff “[learn] together about the importance of pronouns and [be] better allies to the trans communities on campus.”
The school’s LGBTQ Center offers an extensive list of pronouns, Mad Lib practice examples, and other ways to incorporate gender-neutral language into everyday speech.
“Like names, pronouns are an important part of how we identify that deserves to be respected,” the webpage states. “And we recognize that assuming someone’s gender can be hurtful, especially to members of our community who are transgender, genderqueer, or gender expansive.”
Gender-inclusive pronouns the LGBTQ Center tells students to be aware of include “zie/zir/zirs,” “ey/em/eirs,” and “ve/ver/vers.”
[RELATED: College pronoun FAQ: regularly ask for others’ pronouns]
One example of how to properly employ such pronouns includes: “Jordan was wearing a really nice blue shirt today. Ey said ey recently bought it at eir favorite store.”
“Noel was in the meeting today and had a really good idea. Xe said that we could increase enrollment through better marketing and xyr idea could really help us out in the long run. We should talk to xem about it more at the next meeting,” another example reads.
The etiquette tips also instruct students to correct themselves and others if they “make a mistake with someone’s pronouns.”
“Being an ally is an active role, and it is your responsibility to correct people when they make a mistake,” the LGBTQ Center advises.
The center also includes tips on inclusive honorifics, such as “Mx” — “often used by trans and non-binary people, or those who do not wish to be referred to by gendered honorifics.”
“Ms. and Mx. Parrish are a wonderful couple,” one example states.
The LGBTQ Center also offers examples of email signature lines that include a person’s preferred pronouns and “one-sentence explanations you can use to explain why it’s important to share pronouns.”
Some one-liners stress the importance of allyship, such as, “I share mine because I am an active ally to the LGBTQIA+ community” and “I believe in radical acceptance and unconditional love.”
Other examples remind students that using the wrong pronouns can be hurtful, including, “I share my pronouns so that people have the chance to remember that assumptions about gender hurt us all.”
“Because I always want to fight prejudice against transgender, genderqueer, and non-binary people whenever and wherever I can,” reads another suggestion.
Campus Reform contacted the LGBTQ Center and university media relations for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.
