3:21pm September 20, 2014

genderpunk-dragon:

bandersnatchery:

“Vancouver School Board Introduces Gender-Neutral Pronouns”

“Students and teachers in Vancouver can now use the gender-neutral pronouns "xe,” “xem,” and “xyr.” The move is designed to accommodate students for whom “he” and “she” does not fit or is deemed inappropriate…

“The newly coined pronouns — xe, xem, and xyr — are pronounced to rhyme with the genderless plurals "they,” “them,” and “their,” and all starting with the “z” sound. So phonetically speaking, they’re pronounced “zey, "zem”, and “zare.”“

(Source: io9)

Click here to read the full article.

the article doesn’t do the issue justice.

the issue regarded policy change, where the vancouver school board’s (VSB) LGBTQ+ advisory committee re-wrote existing policy to protect staff and students falling on the queer and trans spectrums. 

the policy revision includes

-they/them/their and non-traditional pronouns being recognized by the school system

-required used of preferred names and pronouns by all staff and students

-preferred names/pronouns on all school records

-gender-accesible washrooms and change rooms available to those who require them

-disciplinary action taken against those who act in a discriminatory or hateful manner towards students, staff, and families falling on the queer and trans spectrums

—————-

the consultation was the longest ever done by the VSB, with over 120 speakers spread across 3 meetings. 

the process also resulting in two school board trustees being ejected form their party’s caucus, due their discriminatory actions and arguments. 

these are links to stories by vancouver media about the issue

CBC

metro news

global BC

huffington post

These aren’t newly coined pronouns.  I learned them from Jim Sinclair (a nonbinary intersexed person) in 1998.

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