“Misgendering,” “Deadnaming,” and True Pronouns
Georgia Insight’s Weekly Commentary, January 25, 2019 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
You’ve heard about the Decatur City School superintendent’s July 2016 mandate that preferred transgender pronouns will be used, regardless of biological sexual identity or whether or not using the opposite-sex pronoun to refer to an individual is okay with students, faculty, parents, school board or community. To be clear, he mandated that any boy who identifies as a girl shall be identified as a female; will use intimate facilities girls use, try out for girls’ sports, and room with other girls on field trips.
Six months later, parents learned of the superintendent’s policy on Facebook and, appropriately, took their complaint to the local school board that had a public hearing, then upheld the policy.
After implementation of that policy, a “gender fluid” boy assaulted a five-year-old girl in Oakhurst Elementary School restroom for girls in 2017. Although that incident had no effect on the school district’s transgender policy, the USDOE Civil Rights Office has opened an official investigation since Decatur schools receive federal funding.
A Virginia high school French teacher fired in December for not using a transgender student’s preferred pronouns said this in a television interview, “I used the new name, I avoided feminine pronouns, but male pronouns were a bridge too far. I did everything in my power to accommodate and show respect towards this student and this student’s choices.”Television’s Tucker Carlson asked, “So you never attacked the student or said I disagree with what you’re doing or belittled the student or anything like that?” The teacher added, “Not at all … it’s not my place as a public school teacher to give my view on that subject. I’m a French teacher. I teach French.”
The teacher’s lawyer explained, “To our understanding, this is the first time in the country. We should make clear, Tucker, all we are asking for is that tolerance be a two-way street here. He respected the student. All he has asked for is that the respect be extended to him and to his rights. Pete was actually fired for what he would not say.”
The school board charged him with “misgendering a student,” meaning he discriminated by failing to use male pronouns to address a biologically female student.
During this episode, “deadnaming” was mentioned as discrimination. Deadnaming refers to the name transgenders used before transitioning and do not use in their preferred identity.
It’s been said, “Things just get curious-er and curious-er!” Surely, Georgia legislators will prohibit mandatory preferred pronoun use! For Georgia Insight, I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.