June 10, 2022

June is Pride Month, a time when we celebrate and honor the achievements and history of the LGBTQIA+ community! Washington University and the Department of Anesthesiology strive to be strong allies of the LGBTQIA+ community!

There are many ways that we can all take action to offer our support, acceptance, and affirmation toward the LGBTQIA+ individuals in our lives—one way we can do that is with our words and actions.

This month I would like to discuss pronouns and why they are so important for the well-being of our transgender and non-binary colleagues. Proper pronoun and chosen name use is one critical piece that has been proven to directly benefit the health and well-being of these individuals. Proper pronoun use creates inclusive spaces for LGBTQIA+ community members, which in turn improves mental health and one’s sense of belonging. 

Understanding pronouns beyond the two options of she, her, hers and he, him, his creates space for experiences and identities outside of the gender binary. In order to affirm each person’s gender identity, life, and experience, it is important that we ask and check-in with others about pronouns.

There are many ways to be an ally for TGNB individuals! These include actions such as sharing your own personal pronouns, asking for a person’s pronouns if you don’t know them, correcting yourself if you make a mistake, and practicing and using gender-neutral pronouns in everyday speech.

I encourage you to take some time to learn more, and take steps to be an ally:  add your pronouns to your email signature, locate on EPIC where a person’s pronouns can be found, and whether they prefer an alternate name (just hover over their bio photo), and read more about what to do if you use the incorrect pronouns. These are simple steps we can all take to make our department a safe and accepting place for all to thrive!

There are so many fantastic resources to learn more about pronouns and their importance—here are two:

1. https://students.wustl.edu/pronouns-information/
2. https://pronouns.org/mistakes

Yours in wellness, 

Erin

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