International Pronouns Day Is Oct. 20

On Wednesday, Oct. 20, the University will again celebrate International Pronouns Day (IPD), a global initiative established in 2018 that seeks to make respecting, sharing and educating about personal pronouns a common occurrence.

Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is a basic act of human dignity. Many transgender and gender-nonconforming people are repeatedly misgendered and referred to with incorrect pronouns, which can be an uncomfortable, anxiety-inducing and humiliating experience.

Here are a few ways members of the campus community can learn more about affirmative pronoun usage and celebrate the multiple and intersecting identities of people within the University community.

• Visit the LGBTQ Resource Center, located at 132 Schine Student Center. They will be giving out pronouns pins and pronoun ribbons (that can be attached to a nametag) throughout the day!
• Download a Zoom background stating your pronouns and promoting International Pronouns Day from the Pronoun, Gender and Preferred Name Advisory Council (PGPNAC) Pronouns Day website.
• Update your pronouns in MySlice. To do so:
  • Log in to MySlice.
  • Select the “Personal Profile” tile.
  • Click on the “Biographic” tab.
  • Click on the “Pronoun” link.
  • Select your personal pronoun.

For more information on personal pronouns, visit answers.syr.edu/PronounFAQ. If you have specific questions, email pgpnac@syr.edu.