University of Leicester student union

[GratedExposure]

The women's officer this year is a transwoman. I have no reason to doubt this person's commitment to working with issues like sexual violence (for example), as they say, but surely their experience and understanding of this will be different from most women's? There is also a trans/non-binary officer, and an LGBT officer (who is, incidentally, also non-binary), and yet the women's officer is not a biological female who has grown up with all the complex trappings of femaleness.

www.leicesterunion.com/voice/yourofficers/part-timeofficers/womens/

.. The list of pronouns is continual.

I'd love to see the latest list if you could cut and paste.

(Like the list of "genders" it's always getting longer!)

On teams - it has their pronouns underneath so I know how to address them. Face to face, I can’t remember them all and have already been corrected with a head tilt.
It’s so fucking patronising.

Are many of the pronouns counterintuitive, @IheartJKR?

In a cohort of 12, 4 students have made requests for specific pronouns.

Mostly they them their and a she her from a Male presenting student, as in she dresses in ‘male’clothes and appears to be biologically Male but of course I’m not certain.

I can’t make an objection to being referred to as cis though.

Sounds like it could take up quite a bit of mental capacity to keep on top of it, @IheartJKR.

But maybe you are not cis. Tell them you are Q - questioning. Adopt gender neutral pronouns yourself. See how many times you are misgendered.

If you said you were non binary they couldn't call you cis then.

(Have I got that right?)

I know the class is not truly representative- it is gender studies and it does attract people who are interested in identity politics.

I feel like I’m waiting to be unmasked Scooby Doo style by them as a horrible terf.
Like they’re watching waiting.....

I’m an old giffer. The wrong side of 40. The only thing that’s stopping me losing my shit and tearing round the group giving my real opinions is my bottled oestrogen gel.

They have an awful lot of power.

But maybe you are not cis. Tell them you are Q - questioning. Adopt gender neutral pronouns yourself. See how many times you are misgendered.

Yes, do this! Tell them not to cis you. Tell them you're genderfluid or agender.

...or just that you are not cis, thank you very much, and that they should please respect that? No need to buy into anything you don't believe in to make that polite request...?

I feel like I’m waiting to be unmasked Scooby Doo style by them as a horrible terf.

I can so imagine this....

. I tended to stay away from the student politics crowd anyway as they were all insufferable middle class tossers.

When I was at uni many moons ago those engaging seriously in student politics were generally ignored or laughed at.

..or just that you are not cis, thank you very much, and that they should please respect that? No need to buy into anything you don't believe in to make that polite request...?

That's highly unlikely to be respected by a Gender Studies cohort, sadly. And may get your card marked. Which is why alternatives were suggested.

Yes, do this! Tell them not to cis you. Tell them you're genderfluid or agender.

Or more simply that you're nonbinary - like everyone else you know of your generation, it's normal, the default position, no one conforms to one set of gender stereotypes.
It sounds to me as though 'Cis'-ing you may be based mostly on ageism.

If they are cis-ing you, they are assuming your identity based on your presentation, which is Bad and Unwoke of them!

@Ereshkigalangcleg, yes, I'm sure you're right

I know the class is not truly representative- it is gender studies and it does attract people who are interested in identity politics.

This made me think -

apart from yourself are any of the students in your group (what they would call) "cis"?

Interesting that they are making you feel so uncomfortable.
You're position is entirely valid though and surely relevant? Gender studies and perceptions are in a continual state of change, the younger cohort may have a more consistent attitude amongst themselves, but you provide a counter point to that. If you don't feel you have a gender identity, that doesn't make you cis. That's their perception, not yours.

@ArcheryAnnie

If they are cis-ing you, they are assuming your identity based on your presentation, which is Bad and Unwoke of them!

I'm guessing on her age, so that's probably fine in their eyes.

apart from yourself are any of the students in your group (what they would call) "cis"?

Yes I'm interested in this too!

Yes there are a few frighteningly clever young women, but I despair.

Today the discussion focussed on the ‘violence of society’ for forcing transgender people to get sterilised in order to transition, against their will.

And ended with the professor providing us with a link to watch drag race.

When a female student quite meekly asked about the misrepresentation of women and the enforcement of sex stereotypes she was told....it’s what Judith Butler would have wanted. 🤷‍♀️ Who knew.

Tbh I'd change my profile every week and tell them the medication doesn't always work

Sorry I meant pronouns

IheartJKR I'm curious about your decision to do a gender studies degree. Most sane women wouldn't touch that department with a barge pole at the moment! How do you cope day in and day out??? Is it worth it?

@teezletangler

I work in schools. My aim for my dissertation is to produce a sex education programme for teachers to use.

Now with the new government guidance it is even more critical. Our young people really need robust information.