View at dusk of Bell Hall on the Utica College campus.

代词

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
代词

What are 代词, and why do they matter?

代词是 “a word that is used 而不是 a noun or noun phrase, for example he, it, hers, me, them, etc.,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. 用英语, 代词 identify people based on their 性别, so English speakers learn to sort people, mostly into masculine and feminine categories, from a young age when acquiring language.

偶尔, because English regularly forces us to identify people with a particular 性别 in order to refer to them, we may mistakenly assume what 代词 to use and get it wrong. This is similar to a student intending to show respect to a faculty member with the courteous address of “夫人” or “夫人. 某某” 而不是 “教授” or “Dr.” 伤害可能不是故意的. 尽管如此, Utica College strives to create an environment where we care about and respect one another, so it’s important to do better and get it right.

The best way to learn a person’s 代词 is to ask directly and then make a consistent effort to use them. If you don’t know someone’s 代词, it’s appropriate to use the indefinite singular “他们/他们,” just like you might if you encountered a missing item and didn’t know who had left it behind “哦,看! 有人把笔落了!”

It’s understandable you might mess up, especially as you first get used to asking for, 而不是假设, 代词. If you do, the best way to handle it is to briefly acknowledge your mistake and move on. 当我们反复地 “deadname”(refer to or address someone by a name they no longer use) 或mis性别 (refer to or address someone with the wrong 代词), even if unintentionally, we harm that person by ignoring their identity. This behavior can also risk outing someone’s 反式 identity and can put them at risk of further harm.

在利记sbo, we strive to use language that is inclusive to everyone by honoring true 代词, 的名字, 和标题.

Gender Studies at 利记sbo

利记sbo Department of Sociology and Anthropology 提供了一个辅修性别研究 that enables students to develop a critical awareness of socially and culturally formed 性别 patterns and the intersection of 性别 with other relations of power, 比如性, 比赛, class, 国籍, 宗教, 婚姻状况, 和年龄.

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field that draws on feminist, 性别, and queer theories and scholarship to analyze the experiences, 视角, and contributions of people in various cultural settings and time periods, 包括男人, 女性, 反式, 两性人, and 性别 nonconforming individuals.

Feel free to contact the Gender Studies advisor, Assistant Professor Laurah Klepinger, for more information on the program.

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