Don't challenge someone's identity.
DON'T: "You don't look/sound like an Emily!"
DO: Accept a their identity. If you need to confirm they're who they say, use other information, such as phone number or home address.
Avoid use of "sir" and "ma'am."
DON'T: "How can I help you, ma'am?"
DO: "How can I help you?"
DON'T: "Excuse me, sir."
DO: "Excuse me."/"Excuse me, please."
Don't refer to students as male or female.
DON'T: "The woman over there needs help."
DO: "The student/instructor/patron over there needs help."
DON'T: "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!"
DO: "Good morning, everyone!"
Use singular they.
Use singular they for people whose pronouns you don't know and for people who use they/them pronouns.
Feel empowered to ask others what their pronouns are. (Offer yours first!)
A trans or nonbinary person's pronouns are not their "preferred" pronouns. The pronouns they use are their pronouns.
That's it.
More examples:
- Instead of chairman, chairwoman
- Use chair, chairperson
- Instead of father/mother, grandfather/grandmother, brother/sister
- Use parent, grandparent, siblings
- Instead of husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend
- Use spouse, partner, significant other
- Instead of manpower, "man the registration tables"
- Use staff, staffing, "staff the registration tables"
- Instead of fireman, policeman, mailman
- Use firefighter, police officer, mail carrier
- Instead of men, women, ladies and gentleman
- Use y’all, people, everyone, everybody, folks, colleagues
