(Originally shared March 31, 2022)
Transgender Day of Visibility is held to celebrate the estimated 2 million transgender and gender nonconforming people in the United States, their accomplishments, and the ongoing work to achieve trans equity and inclusion.
At Cornell AgriTech, our goal is to create an environment where all students, staff and faculty can come to work as their full, authentic self- including those who are transgender, genderqueer, and non-binary. This is especially important in today’s partisan environment, where many states are initiating legislation that significantly limits transgender rights.
One easy way for cis-gendered people to offer inclusion to other gender identities is though mindful pronoun use. Some options:
- Add your pronouns to your Zoom profile so you don’t have to remember each time. Simple instructions are attached.
- Add your pronouns below your name on nametags. This lets others know your pronouns without asking, and signals that you’re open to learning theirs.
- Introduce yourself by name and pronouns at in-person meetings (e.g., Hi, my name is Amara. I use she/her pronouns and I’m the biocontrol specialist with the NYS IPM Program.)
- HOWEVER: don’t pressure others to share their pronouns. The goal is to create a comfortable space for sharing, but not to force anyone to ‘out’ themselves.
To learn more about the basics of life as a transgender person, follow this link: https://transequality.org/issues/resources/understanding-transgender-people-the-basics
To stay current on the unprecedented number of anti-transgender legislation and policies under consideration, click here:
https://freedomforallamericans.org/legislative-tracker/anti-transgender-legislation/
At AgriTech, we grow things- including knowledge and belonging.
Sincerely,
Anna Katharine Mansfield and Amara Dunn
AgriTech DEI Council co-chairs