USC should ask students for their PGPs

In the last decade, USC has continuously championed LGBT rights, bringing rarely-discussed issues to the forefront of conversation as the university ushers in a new era of awareness and acceptance. In 2004, USC expanded its anti-discrimination policy to include “gender identity/expression.” Ten years later, in May of this year, Undergraduate Student Government passed an initiative to institute gender neutral housing options beginning in the 2015-2016 school year. And in August, Campus Pride named USC one of the top 50 most LGBT-friendly schools in America. The practice of asking for and accepting individuals’ preferred gender pronouns, or PGPs, should be the next step, then, in continuing to foster a campus-wide culture of inclusivity and respect for USC’s LGBT community.

Jennifer Frazin | Daily Trojan

A concept that has already gained traction at other universities, PGPs range from the traditional he/him/his and she/her/hers, to the less-common they/them/theirs, ze/hir and other preferences.

Though USC offers many resources concerning gender issues, the use of PGPs uniquely explores the macroscopic issue of gender inclusivity on the human level. For many students, especially those who have never been exposed to them before, PGPs concentrate the enormous and often confusing realm of gender issues to a simple, personal question: “What’s your PGP?” This inquiry transforms the concept of gender fluidity from an abstract theory to a tangible, personal and easily comprehensible worldview. Asking for an individual’s PGP signals respect that person’s own gender preferences instead of making the possibly hurtful or offensive assumption that he or she resides within traditional gender constructs. The process also challenges those asking for PGPs to question their own beliefs about the traditional gender framework. For those unfamiliar with the concept of gender as a spectrum, it is an opportunity to learn more about an often unspoken and yet deeply significant issue.

University campuses nationwide have already set a precedent for the use of PGPs. The University of Vermont currently allows students to list their PGPs for use on student identification cards, grade reports, directories and medical documents. The New School in New York allows students to change their PGPs in internal university records. According to its website, San José State University trains faculty to introduce themselves using their names and PGPs, and then ask for their students’ PGPs.

For many transgender students, asking for PGPs is a small practice that shows tremendous solidarity with the LGBT community. It also demonstrates the immense impact that gender assumptions can have on transgender or noncomforming students; even English speech is manufactured to reinforce the traditional gender binary.

Admittedly, asking for PGPs as part of introductions poses a small discomfort for those unfamiliar with the procedure. If people cannot change their everyday conversation to accommodate those who identify as transgender or nonconforming to gender norms, however, they can never truly be allies of the LGBT community.

Yet, concerns persist regarding the implications of implementing PGPs. For one, the practice places the burden of explaining nontraditional PGPs on those who use them. The beauty of asking for PGPs lies in its simplicity; the answer to the question “What’s your PGP?” doesn’t necessarily warrant an explanation, but could spark a conversation about gender norms if it goes further. Another concern resonates with individuals who may be uncomfortable or unwilling to share their PGPs with others. While this claim retains some merit, it is important to note that these individuals would likely be subject to traditional gender pronouns anyway, stripping them of their choice to identify — or not identify — their gender.

The next step, then, is to finally implement the process, in both training of officials and shifts in registration forms. USC should train its faculty and orientation advisers to ask for PGPs along with normal introductions in the beginning of the school year and ensure that these PGPs remain respected. And USC should allow self-identification of gender (not merely sex) in registration forms for housing and applications to the university. All changes, perhaps, are not possible, and they will certainly require perseverance and tolerance, but if USC is to further its progress as an inclusive community, administrators must start taking steps to make all students feel welcome.

Indeed, the most monumental changes, society-wide, begin on college campuses. Let’s be the college campus that not only actualizes PGPs, but also pioneers their large-scale operation. They represent, after all, the ever-expanding awareness and understanding that remain cornerstones of education.