The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

UI moves ahead on identity

UI+moves+ahead+on+identity

By Elianna Novitch

[email protected]

UI is one of the first universities in the nation allowing students to identify their preferred name, gender, and pronouns on their admissions application and the MyUI system. These changes are new this year, but many think they are a great step toward becoming a gender-inclusive university.

In 2013, the University of Iowa took its first step toward becoming gender inclusive by being the first public university in the country to allow students to identify as transgender on their admissions application.

Now, that effort has continued with the UI implementing the use of gender pronouns in orientations and for the new school year, allowing students to identify what name, gender, and pronouns they prefer to go by on their MyUI account and admissions profile.

The UI will be one of the first universities in the nation to ask students for their preferred gender pronouns, said Jodi Linley, an assistant professor of Education, in a video released by the UI to promote the new initiative.

In order for these changes to go through, many people had to come together on the administrative level.

“It was a big collaborative effort to get everyone on board with the changes,” said President of the UI Trans Alliance Sean Finn. Finn had advocated for the changes to be made since his freshmen year and was proud to see how timely the university was with making these changes.

“You can now select your sex and your gender separately and say your preferred name, which will go on your class rosters and to your adviser. You can select your preferred pronouns as well,” Finn said.

New students are able to identify their preferences on their application and current students can update their preferences on MyUI under “Student Information.” More information on how a student can change their name, gender, and pronouns, can be found on the new Resources for Trans Communities and their Allies website.

“I think it’s really important to emphasize the point that this is not just for some students. Everybody has a preferred name and pronouns they use,” Finn said. “It’s really something that makes the experience on campus better for everyone and a way to get people engaged and informed.”

Pronouns are used to reference someone’s gender or gender identity. Students can now choose to identify with pronouns of [he, him, his], [she, her, hers], [they, them, theirs], [ze, hir, hirs], and [ze, zir, zirs] on the MyUI system.

If a student’s preferred pronouns are not of the options listed, they can select the option of “another set of pronouns not listed above.”

“This supports and affirms the identities of students who identify as trans, for students who identify outside of the gender binary. It’s an appropriate and beneficial intervention for students to be in an environment that affirms who they are,” said Patrick Galligan, an embedded staff therapist at the UI Counseling Service. Galligan works as a therapist for the university and has a clinical interest in gender identity.

Some incoming students were some of the first members of the community to put these changes into practice.

“Just talking about preferred pronouns in classes and stuff makes it so it is less taboo and less uncomfortable because you are more used to using them and you have some knowledge about it,”  said UI freshman Maggie Coutre.

Coutre has experience with using various pronouns used by people both at work and with her friends. She said having preferred pronouns allows people to express themselves with who they identify with.

“I’m proud that the university is affirming students but that doesn’t mean that the work is over,” Galligan said. “There is continued work to be done to help students of all identities be more recognized by the university. While this is an encouraging step, there is still work to be done.”

 

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