Hey, so I have a question for my nonconforming, trans, agender, genderfluid lovelies out there. Please pardon my ignorance. I honestly don’t mean to offend.
But I’m a professor. And I want to be respectful of pronouns. But like, going through the roll call and asking people to state their pronouns may force people to out themselves or make them uncomfortable. I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to mis-gender anyone either. How would you all prefer your profs to ascertain your preferred pronouns?
Any advice? And please reblog so folks can hit me up.
I’m not sure about the feasibility, but what about a digital questionnaire that could be included with online course materials/communications asking for their name on the register, the name they would prefer to answer to in class, any pronunciation specifics they think would be helpful to note, and what pronouns to address them using.
Yeah, you might get some jackasses making it a game, but if you follow through on what they said, it might call them out enough that they grow up about it.
Separate from the queer aspect, there were a lot of students at my university from abroad who chose to go by “whiter-sounding” names, and this would also allow them to either provide that or give them the bravery to use their real name if they can understand that you want to make an effort to say it properly and be respectful.
By having a form that can be filled out privately, it gives them the opportunity to not be put on the spot, so they can think on it if need be and chose how they present without feeling scrutinized by their peers in case they’re “less passing” or anything. Likewise, it would provide you with an easily managed class list that could be compiled and referenced.
*I’ll admit I don’t know the size and age of the classes in question, and the level of access to computers. I’m operating from the experience of a large university where I both had my own desktop computer and access to computer labs in nearly every building on campus.
I agree with Katy, but if the class is too large/it’s not practical to send out a digital questionnaire, providing a method to contact you privately about names/pronouns would probably work too. Like, a note on the syllabus “if your preferred name does not match what appears on my attendance sheet, please send me an email so I can use whatever name or pronouns you’re most comfortable with” (I know that wording’s awkward but I’m sick and braining is hard right now). Also an announcement along the same lines in the first class period would probably be good. Something letting them know that you’re open to correction on names/pronouns would probably make a lot of people more comfortable with letting you know privately, rather than risk outing themselves in class.
konekorambles 