Gender Diversity

Foundations for Gender-Inclusive Classrooms

The following are a few recommendations for supporting gender diversity or gender nonconformance in the learning environment:

• It can be helpful to avoid calling the roll or otherwise read the roster aloud until you have given students a chance to share their preferred names.
• You can allow students to self-identify their name and invite, but do not require, all in the class to identify their pronouns. Do not make assumptions based on the class roster or the student’s appearance. Students and instructors can identify their pronouns in the course management system. You may want to remind students of that option on day one or through your syllabus.
• If you are aware a student has a former name that they do not use — because you knew them before they changed it, because it is on the roster, or otherwise — do not use it or reveal it to others. Comments like, “I knew Gina when she was Bill,” even if intended to be supportive, reveal deeply personal information about the student and unnecessarily draw attention to their identity.
• Setting a tone of respect at the beginning of each semester when establishing the guidelines for class behavior expectations can be important for multiple reasons. To support multiple dimensions of inclusive conduct, not simply gender diversity, you might include something in the syllabus or share out loud a statement that identifies: “It is important that this classroom be a respectful environment where everyone can participate comfortably. One part of respectful behavior is that everyone should use preferred names and pronouns. This also includes pronouncing people’s names correctly.” You can always add specific guidelines for respect that you consider important, as well as co-create these norms with your class.

Foundations for Gender-Inclusive Work Environments

Creating a welcoming and inclusive work environment for TGNC faculty and staff requires fostering an open and collegial working environment long before an individual makes the personal decision to identify their gender identity or make a choice to transition. If you are a manager, you are a representative and extension of the University and, therefore, are responsible for compliance with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Statement and associated policies and procedures, which include workplace protections on the basis of gender identity and gender expression, among other identities. A preliminary proactive step you can take as a manager is to attend a Safe Space training or personally review and share with your team developmental opportunities available through LinkedIn Learning in UVA Workday. It is important to recognize it is not the responsibility of a TGNC employee to serve as an educator in support of their inclusion and/or transition, or in preventing bias, discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in the workplace. Here are a few additional basic tips:

• If you are aware of a faculty/staff member’s former name that they do not use—either because you knew them before they transitioned, because it is on their personnel record, or otherwise—do not use it or reveal it to others. Comments like “I knew Gina when she was Bill,” even if intended to be supportive, reveal deeply personal information about the individual, and unnecessarily draw attention to their identity.
• Set a tone of respect and model the behaviors. One part of respectful behavior is using preferred names and pronouns. This includes pronouncing people’s names correctly.
• Consider modeling behavior around pronoun identification by including those you have chosen to use when you introduce yourself or in your email signature (or including a link to information on why this is important, such as the Pronouns Webpage).
• If you are in a situation where you realize that your colleague may not be out as TGNC in all contexts, avoid unintentionally outing them. This could mean refraining from using pronouns.
• Talk to your colleague to learn more about what makes them feel respected and use that information to inform your actions.
• Do not show undue curiosity about someone’s personal life.

Be aware of key terminology.

The language and words we use make a real difference in terms of helping people feel seen, heard and respected.

• The language used to express concepts related to genders and a personal experience of gender identity vary across communities and generations; not all TGNC individuals will agree with all of the terms and definitions, even those commonly used in the U.S. cultural context so please defer to the terms your individual students, faculty, staff, alumni, and patients use to describe themselves.
• It may also be that the terms and definitions people use change over time, so it is important to be in ongoing and open communication with those individuals with which you are connected and supporting.
• The Human Rights Campaign is an independent U.S.-based advocacy organization for the LGBTQ community and is one resource to consider as a place you could learn about common terminology used around gender diversity.

Key Resource

• Student FAQ
• Employee FAQ

Primary Contacts

UVA-Based