Pronoun Policies: Analysis in Academic Environments
This series discusses pronoun policies at the University of St Andrews. Pronoun policies have become a hot topic in discussions about gender identity and expression at academic institutions. This series uses the Actor Network Theory (ANT) to discuss the importance of pronouns in shaping the socio-material experience of students at university. Trigger Warning: This series contains a discussion of gender identity, expression, discrimination and abuse.
The series is broken into six parts; an introduction to gender pronouns and their importance, Setting an Academic Framework, Analysis in Academic Environments, Analysis in Non-Academic Environments, and Critical Evaluation and Conclusion,
The following analysis considers two unique yet interrelated aspects of student life in academic settings. The university policies which govern the administration and learning environments in St Andrews deeply affect student and staff experiences. This report demonstrates the effects and importance of gender pronouns by analysing these two areas: University Data Systems, and Learning Environments.
University Data Systems
The University's data system presents an immediate issue when discussing gender pronouns and their impact on gender identity. As the officially recognised pronoun that a student or staff member will encounter during their academic career, the selection held by the University should reflect their chosen pronoun.
The University's Policy and Guidance on Trans Staff and Students (2019) makes a few references to the official use of pronouns. Section 7, clause 3, states that records held by University Human Resources "can provide the non-binary title 'Mx' for staff" on a short-term or permanent basis. However, the document does not present an equivalent accommodation for student records. Instead, according to Section 5 of the University policy, students may request to update their official or "known as" name with the Academic Registry.
The condition of "transitioning" is implied in the clause; however, an implication shown to cause difficulties for non-binary and trans students. According to a Stonewall report (2018), students can face opposition and criticism without strong protection surrounding the right to change their name or pronouns. The report quotes a Welsh student as being informed that their University did not view them as "trans enough" (p. 8).
The University information systems shape students' lives through learning, examination, and graduation. These systems are vital to the definition of who students are (not) because students value the products of these systems. The products shape students' identity through matriculation cards, academic transcripts, and degree certificates. We can assume that students will continue to value these objects in defining themselves in terms of academic success and belonging. However, the potential to misuse pronouns alters this official student identity of trans and non-binary students.
In applying the ANT framework, we highlight the importance of these issues in constructing student identity. The pronouns which students encounter daily, through University data systems, shape their identity as students and people. While the University data systems are material evidence of these networks of relations, gender pronouns have a significant effect within the learning environment.
Learning Environments
While the past year has significantly decreased social interactions surrounding university life, these relations have become increasingly important. The teaching/learning environment is the official form of social interaction within the University, and it is in these settings, therefore, that students form their identities in relation to one another. University staff and policies structure this environment. Unlike many other educational institutions, the University of St Andrews does not have a universal pronoun policy that covers all academic schools nor a requirement for all schools to implement their own. According to public information, only two schools within the University have pronoun policies (School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies, 2019; School of Psychology and Neuroscience, 2020). These policies inform staff and students about pronouns, their uses, and the procedures for declaring their pronouns in a learning environment. However, they are not readily visible and frequently addressed during contact hours.
In comparison, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Imperial College London, and Oxford University have established pronoun policies which involve the active declaration of pronouns in classes (Hartocollis, 2020; Imperial College London, n.d.; University of Oxford, n.d.). Vanderbilt University has developed a trailblazing example of pronoun policy. Their "What Should I Call You?" poster (see left), serves as a visual reminder of the importance of pronouns in shaping the student experience. Implementation of the poster, policy, and inclusive environment can improve the experience for all students (Levine and Stark, 2015).
Pronoun policies provide a structure to student interactions that prevents misuse of pronouns and guides disciplinary action for intentional misgendering. These interactions are significant because, within the ANT framework, social interactions are the basis of identity. In limiting other staff members or students' ability to misuse pronouns, the policies ensure that individuals are identified correctly, and their desired identity is maintained.
According to a Stonewall report (2018), 23% of trans students said they had been addressed by the incorrect name or pronouns (p. 8). Universal policies which normalise discussions about pronouns are essential in preventing these situations and ensuring that staff and students feel comfortable with their identity in university settings.
Introducing a universal pronoun policy or the campaign to have a policy implemented would normalise having these conversations. The normalisation of these conversations within academic settings may improve student interactions in non-academic settings. While University is a time for many students to "assemble and reassemble" their identity, this often occurs in non-academic environments (Latour, 2005, p. 7).
Sources
Hartocollis, A. (2020). Gender Pronouns Can Be Tricky on Campus. Harvard Is Making Them Stick. The New York Times. [online] 19 Feb. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/19/us/gender-pronouns-college.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
Imperial College London (n.d.). Pronouns. [online] Imperial College London. Available at: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/equality/resources/lgbtq-equality/pronouns/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
Latour, B. (2005). Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Levine, S.S. and Stark, D. (2015). Opinion | Diversity Makes You Brighter. The New York Times. [online] 9 Dec. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/opinion/diversity-makes-you-brighter.html [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies (2019). Pronoun Use Guidelines. [online] University of St Andrews, pp.1–2. Available at: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/media/human-resources/equalitydiversity/Pronoun-guidelines-School-example-Jun2019.pdf [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
School of Psychology and Neuroscience (2019). Pronoun Use Guidelines. University of St Andrews, pp.1–2.
Stonewall (2018). LGBT in Britain - University Report. London: Stonewall, pp.1–13.
University of Oxford (n.d.). Good practice in communication. [online] edu.admin.ox.ac.uk. Available at: https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/good-practice-in-communication#collapse1103661 [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
University of St Andrews (2020). Policy and Guidance on Trans Staff and Students. [online] University of St Andrews, pp.1–13. Available at: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/policy/staff-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-trans/trans-policy.pdf [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].
Vanderbilt University (2019). What Should I Call You? Poster. Available at: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/lgbtqi/resources/pronoun-guidance [Accessed 10 Dec. 2020].