The University of Memphis community observed International Pronouns Day for the first time Wednesday.
The goal of the participating groups was to promote inclusivity and help students feel safe about expressing their preferred gender pronouns.
Patricia Thomas, U of M graduate assistant at the Title IX prevention center, said people’s looks do not always correspond to their preferred gender pronoun.
“We’re in an age where people are coming into their own and realizing how they are seen is not how they want to be presented and how they want to identify,” Thomas said. “I can look to society like a woman, but I could not inside of me feel like I’m a woman.”
Thomas said recognizing and welcoming people who identify outside of the gender binary is important for making a safe community on campus.
“I could identify outside of the binary and say ‘Hi, my name is Patricia, and my pronouns are they-them or my pronouns are she-they,’ or whatever that may be,” Thomas said. “This is a way to help bring safety to the campus and be inclusive to individuals who don’t identify on the binary or who do.”
Thomas said she thinks people have a right to be addressed how they want, and other students are obligated to honor their pronouns.
“We believe that addressing people the way they identify is just a basic human right,” Thomas said. “If you do not feel that you identify as he-him, and that is what people want to address you as, it is your right to say ‘No, that’s not who I am. This is who I am,’ and it is our responsibility to honor you in that.”
Ze-zir-zirs is the most popular non-binary pronoun combination, according to transstudent.org. Thomas said there are many more, and the list is constantly growing as people begin to understand themselves more.
“There are a variety of pronouns because, just like the LGBT community, it’s continually growing,” Thomas said. “People have different ways of identifying themselves. The most common is he-him-his, she-her-hers, they-them-theirs. And there is also a ze-zir-zirs.”
Thomas said students should not be ashamed about misidentifying someone but should correct themselves and apologize for doing so.
“One thing I feel like people need to know is that it is okay to make mistakes,” Thomas said. “When you make mistakes, simply acknowledging you made those mistakes and correcting is always the way to go.”
Thomas said a great way to become more inclusive is to attend Safety Net’s “Reflections” event Nov. 14 for a panel discussion about inclusivity. Thomas also recommended going to transstudent.org to learn more about pronouns and being inclusive on campus.
Nikkino Wesson, vice president of Safety Net and a senior health studies major, said it’s important for the campus to be a place for students to openly discuss pronouns without fear of judgement.
“I think a lot of people are unaware of people’s individual pronouns or what their peers identify as, and it’s very important that we start the conversation,” Wesson said. “It gives individuals a space to come out and discuss what that is like.”
Wesson said although she isn’t the most knowledgeable person about gender pronouns, she is always learning, and trying to be inclusive is the most important thing to her.
“It’s a learning process, really,” Wesson said. “Patricia knows a lot more about this than me, but being inclusive is the most important thing for growth on campus.”
Patricia Thomas (Left) and Nikkino Wesson (Right) discuss pronouns and inclusivity with U of M students. In observance of International Pronouns Day, the U of M community dedicated Wednesday to be more inclusive and understanding about people's pronouns.
Patricia Thomas (Left) and Nikkino Wesson (Right) discuss pronouns and inclusivity with U of M students. In observance of International Pronouns Day, the U of M community dedicated Wednesday to be more inclusive and understanding about people's pronouns.
Patricia Thomas (Left) and Nikkino Wesson (Right) discuss pronouns and inclusivity with U of M students. In observance of International Pronouns Day, the U of M community dedicated Wednesday to be more inclusive and understanding about people's pronouns.
