We have begun a new semester, which for many of us means new classes and, as I am sure we all love (not really), introductions. In many of my classes, my professors have included pronouns in their introductions, and they have encouraged us to do the same as we introduce ourselves to each other. While I do appreciate this immensely, it is not always enough to make me feel safe to share my pronouns in class.
I came from a school where discussing preferred pronouns, or any type of queer inclusion, would have immediately resulted in societal uproar and parent protests—or at least it felt that way to me—if they had happened at all (which they didn’t). Overall, EMU has been a wonderful shift away from that.
That is why, especially at first, professors including their pronouns and inviting us to share ours was so wonderfully novel to me. However, it takes more than just one person—or even a few people—to create a safe and inclusive environment. When I look around and realize that no one else is sharing their pronouns as they introduce themselves, I feel like I will negatively stand out if I still choose to share mine. Conversely, the more people that add their pronouns after their name—even if they are cisgender—the more I feel like I will be accepted and safe as a queer person in that space.
But queer inclusion goes far beyond the use of pronouns. Queer people are everywhere—and so is queer erasure. Thus, finding ways to represent queer people in classrooms will take more effort than doing the same for cisgender and heterosexual people, but it is still important.
Students learn best and are the most attentive when they find pieces of themselves in the content that they are learning. Efforts to accommodate this are everywhere, from an emphasis on women in STEM to adjusting curricula to add African American representation—both of which are very positive changes. I implore that we do not forget queer people in this push for inclusivity.
One of EMU’s most popular ideas is community—or “togetherness.” This was one of the biggest reasons that I chose to come to EMU. Therefore, if any place recognizes the importance of feeling like you have a safe community in which you can truly be yourself, it should be EMU. Looking at the history of queer inclusion at EMU, it is clear that the university has made great strides in the right direction, and I am eternally grateful to all of the people who helped to make that happen. However, we still can—and should—do more to ensure that everyone feels represented and safe.
As more and more places around the United States become hostile toward queer people and queer inclusion, it becomes all the more important for people and places that do stand with the LGBTQ+ community to be unapologetic, firm, and loud in their support.
