When you look at our staff bios, you might notice that next to everyone’s names is a list of pronouns: he/him/his, she/her/hers, or they/them/theirs. Many of our staff also include these pronouns on their email signatures. An example might be:
The pronouns in the parentheses indicate that, when others are not using her name, Kavita prefers people to use she, her or hers to reference her. For instance, someone might say, “She is watering her plants.”
Supporting Transgender and Non-binary People
At Arthur Morgan School, we believe all people have value and should be treated with respect. Transgender and non-binary people often experience difficulty (and sometimes even pushback) when trying to get others to refer to them by their correct pronouns. They are often misgendered, which can be painful and suggest they are not seen for who they really are as people.
By including our pronouns we want to create a safe space for our transgender friends. We want to demonstrate that gender should never be assumed or asserted by other people. By doing so, we hope to ease the suffering transgender people experience regularly and make the practice commonplace.
Including our pronouns on the webpage and in our email signatures is an option we give our staff. We make it optional because we recognize coming out is a process that everyone should be able to do on their own terms and in their own way.
If you are interested in learning more about supporting transpeople and other people in the LGBTQ+ community, you can also visit GLSEN. The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends also has an excellent glossary if you need help understanding any terms mentioned here.