Pronoun Information

UMass Amherst is committed to valuing and validating the gender identities and expressions of members of the campus community. One way that the university seeks to create gender-inclusive academic, living, and work environments is by giving all members of the campus community the ability to indicate the pronouns they use for themselves in administrative systems and by encouraging members of the campus community to respect these pronouns.
 

What is a pronoun?

A pronoun is a word that is used instead of a noun or a noun phrase to refer to individuals. Pronouns can be in the first-person singular (I, me) or plural (we, us); the second-person singular or plural (you); and the third-person singular (e.g., she/her, he/him, they/them, ze/zir) or plural (they/them).
 

What are gendered pronouns?

Gendered pronouns specifically reference someone’s gender: he/him/his or she/her/hers.
 

What are nongendered or nonbinary pronouns?

Nongendered or nonbinary pronouns are not gender specific and are often used by people who identify outside of a gender binary. The most common set of nonbinary pronouns is they/them/their used in the singular (e.g., Jadzia identifies as genderqueer; they do not see themselves as either female or male). Other nonbinary pronouns include ze (pronounced “zee”) in place of she/he, and zir (pronounced “zer”) in place of his/him/her (e.g., Jadzia runs zir own business, but ze is more well-known as an author).
 

What pronouns can UMass students, staff, and faculty have on their campus records?

UMass community members can include two sets of pronouns on their records from the following list: he/him, she/her, they/them. xe/xem, and ze/zir, as well as any pronouns, name only, and choose not to disclose. See the chart above.
 

How can I add my pronouns to my campus record?

Students and employees can go into SPIRE (under "Personal Information") and enter or change their pronouns.
 

On what campus records will my pronouns appear?

For students: Your pronouns will appear on class rosters, advisee lists, People Finder (if someone is logged in to a UMass account), the student services center, and other administrative pages in SPIRE. Note: your instructors are not notified if you add or change your pronouns in SPIRE, so you will need to let them know if you add/change your pronouns after the semester begins. Also, family members will be able to see your pronouns if you grant them access to your SPIRE account.

For staff and faculty: Your pronouns will be listed publicly in People Finder and the Faculty/Staff Directory in SPIRE.
 

Why should I be asking people what pronouns they use?

It is important to ask for pronouns because you cannot assume how someone identifies their gender based on their appearance. Using the wrong pronouns for someone may lead them to feel disrespected, invalidated, and marginalized.
 

What is the best way to ask someone about their pronouns?

You can simply ask, “What pronouns do you use for yourself?” or “What pronouns should I be using for you?” Asking for pronouns may feel awkward at first, but getting someone’s pronouns wrong may be even more awkward.
 

What if I make a mistake on someone's pronouns?

It’s okay! Everyone slips up from time to time. If a person corrects you on their pronouns, apologize, but do not over-apologize, as that makes the situation more awkward. You can learn more about how to navigate pronoun mistakes here. If another person corrects you on the pronouns of someone who is not in the room, thank them. They are helping you avoid a potentially awkward and embarrassing situation when you are with that person.
 

What if I hear others making a mistake on someone's pronouns?

In most cases, the best option is to gently correct the person who made the mistake without further embarrassing them or the individual who was misgendered. You can say something like, “Actually, Jadzia uses ‘they’ for themselves.”
 

What if someone continually misgenders another person?

Repeated misgendering, whether intentional or not, is considered harassment under the UMass sexual harassment policy. Students, faculty, and staff are expected to use the pronouns requested by a person.

• Do not assume what pronouns someone uses for themselves based on their appearance.
• Use language like “the pronouns you use for yourself” or simply “your pronouns” and do not say “preferred pronouns,” as how someone identifies is not a preference.
• Include your pronouns when introducing yourself, which will encourage others to do so and create a more inclusive environment.
• Have your pronouns on Zoom, name tags, your email, etc. to help normalize pronoun sharing.
• Ask what pronouns someone uses and respect how they identify.
• If you are unable to ask someone for their pronouns at the moment, use “they/them.”
• Give people the chance to indicate their pronouns in classes, meetings, and other settings, but do not require it. Some trans and nonbinary people may not feel comfortable disclosing their pronouns in some spaces. We want to create a pronoun-inclusive environment at UMass so that all people are affirmed in their gender, but we don’t want to force people to come out.
• Allow all people, and not just trans and nonbinary people, to indicate their pronouns. This avoids singling out trans and nonbinary people and recognizes that everyone has pronouns and should be able to share them.
• If you are a staff or faculty member, be sure to see if a student has their pronouns listed in the directory before a scheduled meeting with them.

In small classes, instructors cna use several methods to give students the ability to indicate pronouns: 

• Have students introduce themselves, giving their names and, if desired, their pronouns.
• Pass out cardstock and have the students write down their names and, if desired, their pronouns to place on the desk or table in front of them. You could also use name tags for the first few class sessions.
• Ask the students to write down their names and, if desired, their pronouns on an index card for you to collect (this is a less useful strategy because you learn students’ pronouns, but the students to do not learn each other’s pronouns).
   

In large classes, where asking pronouns would be impractical, instructors should avoid gendering students unless they know how a particular student identifies their gender. Some suggestions for how to do so:

• Gesture to the person you are calling on or referring to. You can say something like, “as you pointed out” or “as they pointed out."
• Instead of saying something like, “the gentleman in the back, what is your question?,” you can say, “the person in the back in the purple sweater, what is your question?”

Instructors are encouraged to have a name and pronoun policy on their syllabi, such as the following:

Name and Pronouns: Everyone has the right to be addressed by the name and pronouns that they use for themselves. Students can indicate their preferred/chosen first name and pronouns on SPIRE, which appear on class rosters. Please let me know what name and pronouns I should use for you if they are not on the roster. A student’s chosen name and pronouns are to be respected at all times in the classroom.

• “Resources on Personal Pronouns”: https://www.mypronouns.org
• “Practice with Pronouns”: http://www.practicewithpronouns.com
• Pronouny: Share Your Personal Pronouns ad Stay Updated on Your Friends' Pronouns: https://pronouny.xyz
• University of Maryland LGBT Equity Center: "Sharing Your Pronouns" video
• International Pronouns Day: https://pronounsday.org
• Sinclair Sexsmith, “Dear (Cis) People Who Put Your Pronouns on Your ‘Hello My Name Is' Name Tag”: article
• Mary Retta. “Work Sucks, Especially When People Get Your Pronouns Wrong”: article
• RJ Joseph, “Degendering the Language of Customer Service”: article
• Dean Spade, “We Still Need Pronoun Go-Rounds”: article
• Oliver L. Haimson and Lee Airton, “Making Space for Them, Her, Him, and ‘Prefer Not to Disclose’ in Group Settings: Why Pronoun-Sharing Is Important But Must Remain Optional”: article
• “What Does It Mean to Misgender Someone?”: article
• AC Dumlao, “100 Ways to Make the World Better for Non-Binary People”: article