The Welcoming (Membership) team in coordination with the Welcoming Congregation (promoting inclusivity of all *LGBTQIA identities) Refresher Task Force, will begin offering and encouraging putting pronouns on name tags.

There is a new name tag request form at the Welcome Table and we will also have stickers for the most common pronouns starting July 29. Please use the name tag request form if the stickers don’t offer the pronouns you use.

*LGBTQIA is lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied.

The following is some information supporting putting pronouns on name tags:

Why would someone add their pronouns to their name tag?
Typically, society has taught us to make automatic assumptions about what pronouns to use for someone. If a person’s gender expression (the way they appear in terms of gender) seems to be male, we’d likely use he/him/his when talking about that person; if a person’s appearance seems to be female, we’d be likely to use she/her/hers. However, gender is not always that simple. Sometimes a person’s gender identity (the way the person identifies internally in terms of their gender) doesn’t align with their gender expression (the way they look). In addition, not everyone identifies strictly as male or female. So when a person includes their gender pronouns on their nametag, they are simply taking the guesswork away for you! It’s their way of saying “when you refer to me using pronouns (opposed to by my name), these are the pronouns I’d like for you to use.” ~ adapted from bottomline.org

Reasons to Share Pronouns on your Name Tag:

• I share mine because I don’t want anyone to feel unsafe or unwelcome and I think this helps.
• I think that sharing my pronouns helps everyone feel included and respected.
• Sharing my pronouns helps make USG a more welcoming place for people of all genders.
• I want to make sure that everyone gets my name and pronouns right every time; I also want to make sure I get everyone else’s right, too.
• I believe it’s more respectful not to assume someone’s gender based on how I think they look. I’m sharing mine so that you won’t have to assume either.
• I share mine because I am an active ally.
• I share mine because I am proud to be trans, and having the chance to share my pronouns at church is phenomenal.
• I share them because I think this helps to create a more positive environment for all people at USG.
  ~ adapted from Washington.edu

Simple ways to use pronouns to show LGBTQ+ support:

• Always ask someone’s pronouns
• Don’t assume which pronoun someone uses
• If you are unsure of someone’s pronouns and don’t feel comfortable asking, use they or them to refer to that person, it’s always a safe option
• Share your pronouns at meetings, before public speaking and in every day introductions to show you are someone who supports proper pronoun usage and set a universal standard for sharing pronouns
• Wear your pronouns on your nametag. By displaying our pronouns it creates an atmosphere of inclusivity for everyone to be referred to in the way they want to be
  ~ adapted from udel.edu

Here is a blog from the UUA website for more explanation and a UU context.
Affirming the Promise: Full Dignity of Queer & Non-Binary Folx in Unitarian Universalism