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Gender identities and teaching

There are many ways to support students of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities in their studies at Monash. Ensuring your teaching content, teaching practice and assessments include diverse representations and acknowledge diverse lived experiences is an important way. Another small but significant and crucial way to support trans and gender diverse students in the learning environment is through the inclusive use of preferred names and correct pronouns.

Person holding a whiteboard saying Hello My Pronouns are ...

Why does respecting gender identity matter?

Monash is committed to being an inclusive place to learn, work and research and this commitment is outlined in our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework 2022–2030. This includes practice that supports our trans and gender diverse community.

Using preferred names and correct pronouns at Monash supports our students to bring their authentic selves into our learning environment. By using them, we prioritise the experience and wellbeing of our students.

Using a student's preferred name in teaching upholds non-discrimination.

The law in Victoria protects everyone’s right to identify as a gender that may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. This means that refusing to call someone by their preferred name or use their preferred pronouns may constitute discrimination.

Key Considerations

“Transgender” encompasses many different gender presentations and identities.
Gender is socially constructed.
Certain body parts do not determine gender identity.
Gender identity is about how we see ourselves. Trans people can identify as gay, straight, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, etc.
Gender expression is the external representation of one’s gender identity.
Sex, gender identities, and gender expressions are all malleable.
The best way to be an ally is to listen to trans people themselves.
Because language shapes reality, be careful with pronouns.
Positive interaction between faculty and trans and gender-nonconforming students is beneficial.

What are preferred names?

Many trans and gender diverse people refer to the names they used before affirming their identity and adopting a new name as their “dead" or "old" name.
An old name is often connected with both the gender assumptions associated with names in many cultures, and the painful memories of being consistently misgendered (described or addressed using language that did not match their gender identity), often by friends, family and loved ones.
“Deadnaming” is the process of using an old name to refer to someone instead of their chosen name. Being deadnamed can be a humiliating and hurtful experience for many trans and gender diverse people, especially if it “outs” them – revealing their identity as trans or gender diverse without their consent.
When someone doesn’t have negative associations with a name they no longer use, it is often referred to as an “old name”, “former name” or “birth name”.
Pronouns are words we use in place of noun phrases.
- In English we use “I/me/my” to refer to ourselves as the speaker and “you/your/yours” to refer to the listener.
- We use third-person pronouns to speak about other people when not using their name, for example the gendered third-person pronouns “he/him/his” and “she/her/hers”.
- We also use “they/them/theirs” which can be both plural and non-gendered singular.
A person's pronouns are an important part and signifier of their identity and some people may change the pronouns they use to match this identity, for example, a non-binary person may choose the pronouns ‘they/them/theirs’.
When displaying pronouns, we often simplify it to just two options, such as “she/her” or “they/them”. If someone is comfortable with multiple sets of pronouns, this is often displayed as “they/he” or “she/they”, usually indicating their preferred set first.
Everyone has the right to be referred to with pronouns that match their identity and using someone’s correct pronouns demonstrates respect and fosters inclusion.

Respectful Name and Pronoun Usage

In creating an inclusive learning environment that embraces diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity, it's essential to approach name and pronoun etiquette with care. This not only aligns with best practices but also prevents potential microaggressions and ensures that everyone feels respected and acknowledged, avoiding feelings of alienation, invalidation, or discomfort. The following are some guidelines to support respectful name and pronoun usage:

Introduce Your Pronouns: Start by sharing your own pronouns when you introduce yourself, setting a welcoming tone for your students.

Include Pronouns in Your Communication: In your email signature and syllabus, make sure to include your gender pronouns. This simple act signals your awareness and respect for the gender pronouns of others.

Respectful Roll Calls: When conducting roll calls, use students' last names until you've given them an opportunity to share their preferred name and pronouns, especially if the roster displays a former name.

Pre-Class Pronoun Surveys: Consider using pre-class surveys to ask for students' pronouns, making it an optional question. This is a valuable chance to better understand your students and provide support tailored to their needs.

Self-Identification: Let students self-identify the name they prefer to be called and their chosen pronouns, should they wish to share them. Use sign-in sheets or written communication in class for this purpose.

Respect Former Names: If you know a student's former name, which they no longer use, do not use or disclose it to others.

Clarify Pronouns: When you encounter a student outside the classroom and are unsure of their pronouns, consider politely asking. You can initiate the conversation by sharing your pronouns and inquiring how they prefer to be addressed.

Respect Privacy: Treat trans individuals with the same level of privacy and respect as anyone else. Avoid asking personal questions that you wouldn't ask others.

Mirroring: We should mirror the language the students use about themselves or their partners, e.g. if the students says "my partner and I went to..." a teacher might follow up with "and what did your partner/they think about..." instead of "and what did your boyfriend/he think about..."

Note

These guidelines allow you to create a more welcoming and inclusive educational environment. In your teaching, you can use a random name generator like the one below. It can be a helpful tool, especially in scenarios where you need to create diverse and realistic names in your teaching:

https://www.behindthename.com/random/

What can I do while teaching?

Instructors can foster gender inclusivity by integrating several strategies:

Start with a gender Inclusion statement in the syllabus, offering guidance on pronoun usage and reasons for these practices.
Foster an inclusive environment by addressing assumptions about gender and scrutinising language for inclusivity
Use a student’s name or non-gendered “they/them” pronouns, particularly if you are unsure what the person would prefer.
Don’t assume someone’s pronouns based on their appearance.
Role model by introducing yourself with your name and pronouns, i.e. ‘my name is Lee and I use he/him pronouns’ or include them alongside your name in Zoom, i.e. ‘Lee Pappas (he/him)’.
Try to get an up-to-date record of student names and update any other records you may have.
Inform students that they can let you know any changes to their name and pronouns so that you can address them correctly.
Consider using name placards or sticky labels in classes and ask students to write their preferred name on these.
Use examples or create case studies/ scenarios etc for teaching that use different pronouns and gender identities. Inclusive teaching practice incorporates diverse genders, sexes and sexualities.
Additionally, promote continuous learning about gender and be receptive to the experiences of LGBTQ students while considering their intersectionality with other social identities.

What to do if I make a mistake?

Acknowledge that you’ve made a mistake, apologise for the error and confirm what you will do moving forward (e.g. “Oh, I used the wrong name for you, I’m sorry for doing that. I’ll make sure to use <correct name> in the future.”). Resist the urge to over-apologise and draw unnecessary attention to the person, keep it brief but sincere and move on quickly.
Continuing without acknowledging the mistake is less respectful than making the correction. Additionally, correcting the mistake helps the person who was misidentified and prevents others in the conversation from adopting incorrect pronoun assumptions.

Correcting others

When a student makes a pronoun mistake, it's a good practice to offer a correction. This correction should be made regardless of whether the person whose pronoun was misused is present. It helps prevent future mistakes and rectifies any misconceptions that may have arisen in the minds of others who heard the error during the conversation.
Learn more in the Pronoun Pro workshop to learn more about pronoun usage, the emotional impact of misgendering and deadnaming and how to support the trans and gender diverse community at Monash and beyond.
Monash uses the acronym LGBTIQA+ to be as inclusive as possible. We acknowledge that other variations of this acronym exist and are also valid.
By its very nature, language is fluid, dynamic, subjective and contested and its meaning has the potential to change over time. This list is not exhaustive or definitive but provided as a guide.

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Learning and Teaching: Teach HQ

Learning and Teaching: Teach HQ

Gender identities and teaching

Why does respecting gender identity matter?

Key Considerations

Note

Note

What can I do while teaching?

What to do if I make a mistake?

Correcting others

Your feedback matters