LGBTQIA2S+ Vocabulary
The terminology around LGBTQIA2S+ identities is always evolving. The following websites offer a comprehensive understanding of the latest vocabulary and other resources for education. Salve's LGBTQ+ Center is also able to provide trainings to your group about terminology and is able to answer specific questions via email as well.
Michigan State University’s Gender and Sexuality Campus Center
Pronouns
Pronouns are words that substitute for nouns. They are linguistic tools. Personal pronouns are part of our everyday language, especially in the Romantic Languages. In English, we often refer to others using gendered pronouns (he/him/his; she/her/hers). The pronouns we select for a person are usually based on our assumptions of the person’s gender, based on their appearance or name. We can be easily mistaken and can cause unintentional harm by mispronouning and misgendering someone. The term “preferred pronouns" is an outdated term that implies that a person’s pronoun selection is merely a preference and, therefore, something that is not required.
For further reading, Pronouns.org is a great resource.
Resources for Faculty and Staff
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Promoting inclusive classrooms: LGBTQIA+ ally guide
Black and LGBTQ: Approaching intersectional conversations