Pronoun-sharing practices
Pronoun-sharing practices
This project explores how the practice of sharing pronouns in introduction rounds can counterbalance the vulnerability of trans people in a system of mutually reinforcing cisnormative social institutions. It allows for the discursive construction of gendered personhood that may not otherwise be recognisable to others in the room, as well as giving institutional authorisation to trans people, thus delegitimising and decentring transphobia. However, pronoun rounds engender a vulnerable space for trans people, who may feel pressure to misgender or out themselves, as well as for others, who may not previously have had to confront their own relationship with gender and pronouns in this way. Drawing on (auto) ethnographic, interview, and survey data from both so-called Australia and the United States, this article contends that while pronoun rounds have the potential to be generative and respectful, the realisation of this potential is determined by how they are enacted.
Publications
Forthcoming Misgender or out yourself: vulnerability in pronoun sharing practices. Gender and Language.
2024 Zimman, L., & Brown, C. (2024). Beyond Pronouns 101: Linguistic Advocacy for Trans-Inclusive Language in the College Classroom. In A. H. C. Hudley, C. Mallinson, & M. Bucholtz (Eds.), Inclusion in Linguistics. Oxford University Press.
Presentations
2022 Beyond Pronouns 101: Complexifying pedagogical advice for trans-inclusive language. Co-presenting with Lal Zimman. Society for Linguistic Anthropology, Boulder, USA. April 2022.
2019 ‘Out myself or misgender myself’: ideology and identity in pronoun sharing practices. The Australian Linguistics Society Conference. Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Dec 2019.
2019 They Identify Themself: Language Practices Around Nonbinary Pronouns. 7th New Zealand Discourse Conference. Massey university, Wellington, New Zealand. Dec 2019.
2019 Pronoun Sharing and Identity Negotiation: Construction, Concession, and Constraint. The Forum on Englishes in Australia. LaTrobe University, Melbourne, Australia. Jul 2019.