Wednesday, October 17, 2018 marks the first annual International Pronouns Day. The ability to use and be referred to by one’s preferred pronouns is a basic human right. Being referred to by the wrong pronoun especially affects transgender and gender nonconforming people. Exploring the varied conversations surrounding pronouns is essential to a better understanding of ourselves and each other.
The Gustavus Library is proud to support International Pronouns Day and help educate on topics related to preferred pronouns. Using people’s preferred pronouns helps our community better live into its commitment to justice as a core value. We recognize – as do the International Pronouns Day organizers – that not everyone wishes to publicly identify their preferred pronouns. We do encourage everyone to learn more about preferred pronouns, however, through the following resources:
- Display on the Library’s main floor, which also has free preferred pronoun stickers
- International Pronouns Day – contains a wealth of information, including infographics, FAQs, video links, and links to other organizations
- MyPronouns.org – another great source with a ton of information, including discussions of pronouns across various languages and cultures, as well as tips for working with preferred pronouns in daily situations
Finally, we’re including a link to the Library’s online guide that discusses our (ongoing) efforts to develop a gender neutral restroom in the Library. While the issues of bathrooms and pronouns are not identical, they overlap in a number of ways. We have always believed that developing gender neutral bathrooms in a popular gathering spot such as the Library is a justice issue for our community. The guide about the bathrooms also outlines how our efforts dovetail with the core values of librarianship.
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