The Pride Resource Center at Colorado State University has deemed the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” a “transphobic phrase” and is warning students about uttering it. They’ve created a poster campaign for the campus as well as stickers to raise awareness about the issue.
The poster is titled “Tips for Supporting Transgender People” and lists other “transphobic slurs” such as “real women/men,” “What’s your real name?,” “transgendered,” and “You don’t look trans.” It says all these phrases, including “ladies and gentlemen,” are “extremely degrading and designed to harm.”
The poster also lists “commonly used pronouns” students should be aware of, other than the standard he/him/his and she/her/hers; these additional pronouns include “they/them/theirs,” “ze/hir/hirs,” and “per/per/pers.”
The poster colloquially states it’s “not cool to ask” someone about their “transition status” or their “real name.” In fact, it says students should apologize when they violate any of these tips.
In addition to the poster, the center has also created two different sticker designs as a “resource” for students. One states, “We won’t be Erased,” and the other reads, “Gender is not a binary.”
According to the resource center, not everyone should wear one of the stickers.
The phrase “We won’t be Erased” is a phrase of “empowerment and resistance only meant for folks in the community,” while the phrase “Gender is not a binary” can be worn by people who are “in support of, advocate for, and are in active solidarity with the trans and non-binary community,” according to the resource center’s descriptions.
“[W]e ask that you take the sticker that feels most appropriate for your use and identities,” the website states.
Alexander James is a contributor to Red Alert Politics and a freelance journalist.
