Question

On the first day of school, a teacher asks the class to introduce themselves with their first and last names and invites them to share their
"preferred pronouns" if they wish to. What could this teacher have done differently to be more respectful of all gender identities?
(1 point)
• She should have required everyone to share their pronouns.
• She should not have mentioned pronouns at all.
• She should have shared her own pronouns first.
• She should not have used the word "preferred."

Answer 1

The teacher could have been more respectful of all gender identities by opting for the last option: **She should not have used the word "preferred."** The term "preferred pronouns" implies that pronouns are a choice rather than an integral part of a person's identity. Using simply "pronouns" acknowledges that these are the pronouns a person identifies with, without suggesting they are optional.