University of Pittsburgh issues non-sexist language guidelines – including term 'yinz'

What’s in a name?

Enough to lead people to be unintentionally dismissive and disrespectful of someone by misgendering them, according to the University of Pittsburgh.

But now, Pitt has published a gender-inclusive language guide that includes a set of “non-sexist language guidelines and resources” to help students and faculty avoid “unintentionally creating a sexist and homophobic classroom environment.”

In the guide, “yinz” is a suggested substitute for “ladies and gentlemen.”

The guidelines include advice such as “do not limit yourself to male examples or heterosexual examples. Teachers can and should honor the breadth of experience and potential in students’ lives by discussing women, gender nonconforming and LGBT-identified people. For example, avoid giving examples that assume that all doctors are men.”

Strategies suggested in the Pitt language guide include asking students to introduce themselves or asking them to write down their names and pronouns.

“If you are unsure what name or pronoun set a colleague or student uses in a particular setting, ask!” the guide says.

The guidelines also suggest specifying pronouns during introductions, on a name tag, in an email signature and when using university systems like Canvas or Zoom.

And it’s for everyone.

“It’s a way for all of us to collaboratively build a safe and affirming learning environment where we don’t assume we know someone’s pronouns without them sharing that information with us.”

Pitt’s specific suggestions for avoiding sexist language are to use words like humankind instead of mankind; chair or chairperson instead of chairman; first-year student instead of freshman and lower division/upper division undergraduate instead of upperclassmen/lowerclassmen.

These terms have become an object of ridicule for some, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

“University of Pittsburgh has published a ‘gender inclusive’ language guide that advises students avoid ‘ladies and gentlemen,’” Cruz tweeted. “Instead, they suggest using words such as ‘colleagues, guests, all, yinz, friends, people, students, folks.

“Folks, these yinz are cray-cray.”

University of Pittsburgh has published a “gender inclusive” language guide that advises students avoid “ladies and gentlemen.”

Instead, they suggest using words such as “colleagues, guests, all, yinz, friends, people, students, folks.”

Folks, these yinz are cray-cray. https://t.co/yFMffc1Ere

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) October 28, 2021

However, Gerald Shuster, Pitt professor of political communication and presidential rhetoric, said Pitt has been at the forefront of this issue and many on campus take pride in what the University is doing.

“We don’t characterize anybody unfairly anymore, intentionally,” he said. “But (Pitt) is also working very hard to make sure that we don’t unintentionally create issues for transgender students or students who feel they are unfairly characterized. I’m a proponent of that. I think it’s only fair that we are kept informed and reminded that this is what is going on in society.”

The guidelines statement compares misgendering someone to having your name routinely mispronounced. Pitt addressed that issue in the fall of 2020 by promoting a tool called NameCoach.

Developed at Stanford, NameCoach is a cloud-based product designed to make it easier to learn and remember name pronunciations and pronouns.

Individuals can create a “name badge” by recording the pronunciation of their name and including background on its origin, and, if they like, their pronouns. That recording is then available on their email signature and LinkedIn page or their instructor’s class roster.

A statement released by the University on Thursday said “The University of Pittsburgh is committed to supporting an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. This resource was created for campus community members as part of our ongoing effort to promote dialogue on gender identity issues. It is not part of any official institutional policy and does not necessarily reflect the views of the University.”