Pronoun Practices
At Cummings School, we welcome people of all genders to learn and work with us. As part of our commitment to values such as respect and belonging within this community, we believe it is important to use inclusive pronoun practices in our everyday interactions. One easy way to do this is to share our personal pronouns with each other for use in conversations. While someone’s pronouns may seem “obvious” based on their appearance, this isn’t true for everyone, as gender identity may not be demonstrated by an external presentation.
To support the safety and wellness of trans and gender non-conforming people, we encourage everyone to wear a pronoun button. These buttons make our pronouns clear, and they help normalize asking and talking about them, rather than guessing. To uplift those whose pronouns aren’t so obvious, we wear these buttons to make our community more inclusive and supportive for everyone.
Want to learn more about pronouns? Wondering how to be a better ally to your peers? How can you go about implementing inclusive pronoun practices in your community? Check out the resources below!
Web Resources:
- Forbes - “Talking About Your Pronouns Is One Easy Way To Be A Transgender Ally” https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiewareham/2020/08/02/talking-about-your-pronouns-is-one-easy-way-to-be-a-transgender-ally-him-her-they/#563cf11b7964
- Boston Children’s Hospital - “Gender identity & pronoun use: A guide for pediatric health care professionals” https://notes.childrenshospital.org/clinicians-guide-gender-identity-pronoun-use/
- MyPronouns.org - https://www.mypronouns.org/
- Medium - “Why I Put Pronouns on my Email Signature (and LinkedIn profile) and You Should Too” https://medium.com/gender-inclusivit/why-i-put-pronouns-on-my-email-signature-and-linkedin-profile-and-you-should-too-d3dc942c8743
- TransStudent - https://transstudent.org/
- “Decolonizing Gender: A Curriculum.” - https://www.decolonizinggender.com/
- “Teen Vogue” - All Your Questions About Gender-Neutral Pronouns Answered https://www.teenvogue.com/story/they-them-questions-answered?fbclid=IwAR022rsfl0VM3CRsTC8OICm5yFqFuafW-vgYiFvlu6WJ8hlUcrFEGScj_wc
- Michigan State University LGBT Resource Center
- “Pronouns 101” - Contains useful infographics we can embed directly on the webpage https://lbgtrc.msu.edu/education/pronouns.html
- Everyday Feminism - https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/11/pronoun-etiquette/
- International Pronouns Day - https://pronounsday.org/
Video/Podcasts Resources:
- AAVMC's Diversity & Inclusion on Air
“The Use of Pronouns”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nVZgT6l5g4 - Onlea
“Gender Identity and Pronouns - What Will You Teach The World?”
https://youtu.be/J3Fh60GEB5E - Seventeen Magazine
“Why Gender Pronouns Matter”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iKHjl5xAaA - PinkNews
“What are gender pronouns? Ze, Zir, They/Them | Jackson Bird explains”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIMj25-nkhE
Countdown to Juneteenth: A Celebration of Selected Black History and Accomplishments in the U.S.
The Anti-Racism Task Force was pleased to post a Black history fact every day from June 1st until June 19th, when our Black community celebrated Juneteenth. Friday, June 18th was a University holiday and was designated as a Day of Reflection, Commitment, and Action Towards Racial Justice. All were encouraged to register and participate in the many scheduled events.
June 1, 2021—Countdown to Juneteenth
Today's fact began 100 years ago on May 31, 1921, and continued over the next two days. The TULSA RACE MASSACRE was a terrible episode of violence towards the Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An armed white mob, fortified by law enforcement officials, attacked Greenwood, a prosperous Black community in Tulsa, killing as many as 300 people. In addition to the loss of life, there were more than $1 million in property losses that would amount to more than $20 million today. Martial law was eventually imposed, and thousands of Black citizens were arrested and put into an internment camp at the nearby fairgrounds.