Resource: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/21/style/lgbtq-gender-language.html
A: It has grown from LGBT - LGBTQIA2+ because gender expressions have grown to become more inclusive within society over the years. The more inclusive and knowledgeable our society becomes, the more people can feel safe to express themselves without harm or violence!
A: Fun fact- casual uses of singular they/them pronouns are older than casual uses of the pronoun "you". They/them pronouns are a gender neutral pronoun, or a pronoun that is not masculine or feminine. Gender neutral pronouns are a way to express gender outside of the male-female binary.
Resource: https://medium.com/@lalzimman/trans-pronoun-faq-part-3-b542d93f7fde#.5r016mgnsA: Using someone's personal pronouns is an automatic way to respect that person because it validates their existence and needs. It shows care, kindness, inclusivity, and compassion towards that person - which is what our group at EDSS wants to promote all the time! Showing respect and kindness can be hard, but if you have an open-mind and care about others, it can become quite easy :) It does take work, because unconcsious biases are really hard to tackle! The first step is to become aware of them, and the next step is to work hard to change your ways of thinking (without placing your frustration when messing up on someone else).
A: YES! You do. If that is what the person wants, that is the respect they deserve. If you know the person's pronouns and choose to use ones that benefit you, then you are not listening to that person and disrespecting their wishes. It also shows a lack of thought and energy into that person, which can feel really hurt someone's feelings. Getting a name correct can mean a WORLD of difference to people, especially when there is such pushback and negativity that Queer youths and people experience on a daily basis at EDSS.
This is a statement, action, or incident that is subtle / indirect / unintentional forms of discrimination against members of a marginazlied group. This could be repeating or saying statements that we have heard about people, like stereotypes, which can cause us to form biases to make quick judgements of people that aren't true. In this case, microaggressions are ignorant actions / statements / or incidents revolving around the LGBT2GIA+ youth at EDSS.
Language matters! When someone provides you with their person pronouns, name, or anything about their identity, you should respect that and use it. We don't need to hear your opinions on it. Their name, pronouns and identity is valid, just as much as yours is. If you provide offensive or harmful opinions, this can really hurt someone's feelings and it does not make a person feel validated about their experiences, which can lead to things like Imposter Syndrome, Anxiety, and Depression for that person - so please, use the Golden Rule and respect others.
If you don't understand something, GOOGLE IT FIRST! Google has many awesome resources that can help you and your research. Do that before you go to a person within the school to ask questions - you never know what someone is dealing with, and those basic questions can be demoralizing since they are so easy to access. If you have more questions after your research, keep researching! There is a lot to understand and know, but please take it one step at a time. Recognize your boundaries. If you can only learn little bits at a time to help process, go slow and start small. Learning too much at once can be overwhelming, and can ultimately end up hurting people if you use information incorrectly.
P.S Another way to respect LGBT2GIA+ Youth at EDSS is to ask if they are okay with answering any questions first. Asking about someone's mental capacity shows you care about them and shows that you don't want to hurt their feelings.
Repetitive questions. This can be INCREDIBLY demoralizing. That means that you have not listened. If you hear someone asking repetitive questions, and you start noticing someone that is uncomfortable - stick up for them! You can do this by telling a staff member, VP, Principal, etc.
Showing frustration after you messed up someone's pronouns is a BIG microaggression - Don't get mad at someone for YOUR mistakes. That is called "projection." It is on YOU to practice and make an effort. It is hard to change habits, but if you take the time and effort - it will become so much easier :) Taking the time and energy means a world of a difference to someone at our school / people within the community, so please try + stay curious.
This phrase is used to help LGBT2QIA+ folks live their authentic lives. Playing devil's advocate is not helpful in this context, because this phrase focuses on validation for queer folks. For example, talking about toxic forms of "love." Using examples about abuse and grooming is really harmful to the LGBT2QIA+ community because of the unfounded historical associations with these groups. Associating this phrase with toxic forms of love, such as grooming, has a long history that feeds off of fear used to Other and degrade LGBT2QIA+ folks existence.