by Alex Parker
In short order, society has substantially shifted.
When I was in college, if Iâd told an administrator someone was calling me something I disliked, the response wouldâve inferred, âWhat is wrong with you?â
These days, higher-ups are here to oversee our interactions.
Moreover, theyâre tasked with monitoring our mentions when weâre away â pronouns, after all, are words used when speaking about someone, not to them.
And at Pittsburghâs Point Park University, theyâre on point.
As reported by Campus Reform, the outlet obtained a September 13th email to students by the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
The message: Everyone must call people whatever they wish.
Non-compliance, it makes clear, may result in âaction.â
The missiveâs âMisgendering, Pronoun Misuse, and Deadnamingâ section reads thusly:
Any individual who has been informed of another personâs gender identity, pronouns, or chosen name is expected to respect that individual. Point Park University fosters a community of inclusivity for every member at the institution. Misgendering, continued misuse of an individualâs pronouns, or using an individualâs deadname after being informed of a chosen name could result in a violation of the Policy on Discrimination and Harassment for gender-based discrimination.
Deadnaming is a big deal these days.
See for yourself:
ACLU Demands Uber Eats Stops âDeadnamingâ and Misgendering Its Drivers
Petition to Major University Claims Birth Names on Diplomas Make Trans Students Unsafe
In decades past, there was a known saying in America: âYouâre not special.â
Now, it seems, a major message maintains the reverse.
Even so, donât mistakenly think your motives matter; for those in violation of Point Parkâs policy, âaction could be takenâ:
While the University recognizes the aspect of intent versus impact, we must recognize that regardless of the intent, if an individual is impacted in a harmful way, action could be taken if a complaint is filed. We ask all members of the community to be mindful of each other and respect each other. As a resource, please see the Pronouns and Inclusive Language Guide created by a former Equity and Inclusion student.
As for the Guide, it explains, âConsciously using gender inclusive language is incredibly important. Itâs part of having basic respect for other people.â
Besides:
Using language that assumes another personâs gender or pronouns or generalizing an entire group can be harmful and cause trans and gender non-conforming folks to feel isolated, even if you donât mean to.
The pamphlet suggests substitutes for common errors.
From Wrong to Right:
- You Guys â Everyone/Yâall
- Sir/Maâam â (Omit From Sentence)
- Boyfriend/Girlfriend â Partner
- Ladies & Gentlemen â Students/Guests
- Men/Women â All People/All Genders
- That Guy â Person in the Blue Hat
- Mother & Father â Parent
- Brothers/Sisters â Siblings
- Boys/Girls â Kids
- He or She â They
Back to pronouns, what if you arenât aware of your motherless, fatherless classmateâs commands?
The Pronouns and Inclusive Language Guideâs got you covered.
If you arenât able to ask a person for their pronouns privately, there are other ways to find out.
Included ideas:
- Look at a personâs social media bios
- Check for any pins or bracelets that point to pronouns
- Look at someoneâs email signature if theyâve sent you a message
The instructions even inform readers of what pronouns are.
Additionally, Point Park prints a Preferred Name Policy, which allows students and teachers to make up their own names when a legal one isnât required.
As for the aforementioned âaction,â what if someone doesnât ascribe to the collegeâs commandments?
Speaking to Campus Reform, Student Government President Dennis McDermott guessed:
âI, of course, respect the beliefs of others and their right to express those beliefs, but those beliefs, no matter what they are, cannot impede or harm the rights of others, in this case the right of a student to be respected in their use of their preferred name and pronouns.â
For those who falter, he said, âI would imagine any violation would result in a similar action to any act of discrimination against students on campus.â
Itâs been said 40 is the new 30; perhaps 18-22 is the new 8-12.
Or maybe 4-8.
That seems fitting, as itâs the age recommendation for the classic game Memory â youâll need to match the personâs appearance to their legal name, their new name, and their preferred pronoun.
80's classic game flashback: pic.twitter.com/JPObNBog2o
— Alex Parker (@alexparker1984) September 22, 2021
And the photo is fitting â that rabbit is relevant.
After all, it may be your peerâs pronoun:
Welcome to the World of 'Noun-Self' Pronouns, Now Get Down With Your Bunself
https://t.co/GXR87HKkjD— RedState (@RedState) April 15, 2021
-ALEX
This is some kind of serious STUPID!