NYT: Gender Pronouns Can Be Tricky on Campus. Harvard Is Making Them Stick.

[Renew Deal]

The push for personal pronouns like “they/them” and “ze/hir” can ignite a power struggle in college classrooms. The Kennedy School of Government’s solution? Stickers.

For generations of future diplomats and cabinet officials educated at Harvard’s renowned John F. Kennedy School of Government, orientation day has come with a name placard that the students carry from class to class, so their professors can easily call on them.

When Diego Garcia Blum, 30, got his placard last fall, the first-year graduate student immediately took a Sharpie to it, writing “He/Him” next to the big block letters of his name. Other students did the same thing, writing “She/Her” and “They/Them.”

“Yup! Day 1,” Mr. Garcia Blum, recalled, adding, “That’s when I thought, the students are ahead of the school.”

But despite its reputation as a bastion of the establishment, the Kennedy School followed the students’ lead, agreeing to provide clear plastic stickers this semester with four pronoun options that students could apply to their name cards: “He/Him,” “She/Her,” “They/Them” and “Ze/Hir.”
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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/19/us/gender-pronouns-college.html

[CaptYossarian]

1. This will also help identify the hatemongers too.

I understand their good intentions, but there are unintended consequences as well.

Unfortunately, I don't know any solutions. Wait and see, I guess.

[stuntgirl56]

2. gender pronouns

Generally, people are using first impressions and societal training to determine the gender of someone. The clothing and demeanor of an individual is the silent language that identifies us to each other as we walk about in society. When someone misidentifies someone, they are using body signals and subliminal physical messages. This communication system is taught from infancy and gets more complicated as we develop skills to get and keep attention. It is part of how humans learn. First meeting as a teaching tool to introduce information and most of the time, people are very happy to be given new ideas. There will always be those who do not want to know or can not understand. Best to move on. You can not make everyone make the jump to light speed. Spend time making things better even if it is only for a tiny little spider. No 'smooshing'. Light and friendly. A smile is the most disarming thing you can do for an attacker. The quieter you talk, the harder they need to listen. I describe myself as a 'Variety Person" as what I am is really only my business. When we are over half a century old, we tend to look all the same anyway. It seems the idea is to label everyone something so an explanation as to what they are can be written. Everyone wants to think they know who they are with. Gender is nature and being honest with people is important. Initial impressions can be powerful and misrepresenting yourself can be dangerous. What you are has to be divulged as it is not right to fool a potential life-long friend with dishonesty. You should realize that no one you know or your family will be involved in your life when you transition. There are few exceptions. Support groups and other people in your same situation are important and valuable. A large network is not as important as an honest one. I speak from my experiences as after my transition, there were no siblings, parents and few friends from the 'previous me'. Sadly, it was still me after the transition but now I wore different clothes. Most people are not able to see you in the opposite gender. Gentle and slow are useful tools. There are those who can never know. stunggirl56

[Renew Deal]

4. Welcome to DU!

[stuntgirl56]

3. pronouns for gender

a sticker is ok and then you can swap with your friends and no one will be the wiser, I drew a stick person on my class reunion picture because I did not have a good likeness of me at 12 as me..maybe my sister? That would not be honest hence 'stickgirl' I think the school should offer 5 sticker options--Us/We. stuntgirl56 not stunggirl56 sorry