Westerford High School deputy Principal Alison Gray introduced the wearing of badges at the school so that learners don’t have to declare their preferred pronoun.
Some learners go by 'they' and 'them' pronouns or another set of pronouns or another way of being referred to.
Asking about one's pronouns is an act of respecting what they prefer. It is also important that the person introduces themselves by stating their preferred pronoun.
In an ENCA live interview, Principal Gray shared:
What has come back to me has only been positive, that doesn't mean that everyone agrees with it - and that's amongst pupils and staff.
Scholar organisation, Congress of South African Students weighed in and said they have always questioned how long schools will be permitted to violate the rights of LGBTQIA+ learners, and when schools and communities will start to embrace the transformative ideals of the Constitution.
Gray added that people need to see each other as human beings, and treat one another with dignity, respect, and kindness.
The Genderbread Person v4.0 is a great teaching tool when it comes to breaking the big concept of gender down into bite-sized, digestible pieces.
To read more on the Genderbread Person v4.0, click here.
