Transgender Inclusion

Chapter 8Using Gender Pronouns and Chosen Names

We're going to play a little game. I want you to take a moment and think about a coworker. This doesn't have to be someone that you're particularly close to, but it should be someone with whom you interact with on a relatively consistent basis. I would like you to tell a story about an interaction or an experience the two of you had together. But here's the catch: I want you to tell this story without using your coworker's name. Now, this isn't one of those moments where I provide instruction and you just keep reading. I really want you to take a moment and do what I'm asking you to do. You'll understand why in a moment. It doesn't have to be a long story; a story that lasts one to two minutes is just fine. Tell your story as if I'm sitting right there next to you and you're telling me all about what happened, but do not use this coworker's name. I'll wait.

OK, so you probably found that interesting but not terribly difficult because you had something else you could rely on, and if you're like most people, what you relied on were pronouns in the absence of the person's name. So let's take this game to the next level. I want you to tell me the same story as if I'm sitting right there next to you, but this time tell me the story without utilizing either the coworker's name or their pronouns. Make it as detailed as possible, and make sure you do not utilize the coworker's name or pronouns.

Now, if you're like most folks, that was ...