Add a field for Pronouns to the Profile Page

[cifuller]

This idea has been developed and deployed to Canvas

In addition to many institutions allowing for preferred names of students, staff and faculty, there is an upcoming need to address preferred pronouns.

When addressing the preferred name options in the LMS, please allow for LMS users to indicate their preferred pronouns.

Example:

He/Him/His

She/Her/Hers

They/Them/Their

etc.

For more information, see Google or Wikipedia's article on gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns.

Comments from Instructure

For more information, please read through Canvas Release Notes (2020-01-18) 

[Renee_Carney]

Thank you for submitting this feature idea! Learn more about the feature idea process and how to champion your idea.

Your feature idea will be open for vote from Wed. May 4, 2016 - Wed. August 3, 2016.

[ronzanim]

If this gets implemented, make sure to add to the list of possibilities ze or xe...I'm not well informed on the topic and I guess one should research the currently used pronouns for transgender people but I encountered some variety of pronouns lately and it is a very sensitive and important topic. Thanks for bringing it up

[kmeeusen]

That is a very important point, Michela, and thank you for adding it. This is why these continued discussions around feature ideas is so very important for the product development process. I had noted those omissions when I read through the list above.

KLM

[vanzandt]

Once identified by a student in their profile, it could then be displayed in a column in the People tool to present the preference to the instructor.

[eacote]

We host a page on our website with more information about pronouns - any of that information can be used to generate the options for pronouns!  http://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/pronouns.html

[cjplatenkamp]

This is an important element to add to the site! Students need to be able to easily communicate with their instructors and classmates about their gender pronouns!

[jlstern]

Just happened to be at an inclusivity workshop here at UC Berkeley that addressed this very topic. One thing that was pointed out was that pronouns are not "preferred". One's pronoun is one's pronoun, period.

[kmeeusen]

Hi Judy:

Yes, but if users could select their "preferred" pronoun from an inclusive list, and if that list included an "Other" box where a user could include a pronoun not on the list, that would be as inclusive as anyone could ask for.

On a personal note, I find pronouns an archaic concept and I always either leave that field blank, enter none, or enter other.

KLM

[jlstern]

Kelley,

Sorry for not being more clear: the point that was made in this workshop is that we should not be using the term "preferred" for pronouns, any more than one would ask what someone's "preferred" gender is. It's not about preference. It just is. Completely agree that a "Pronoun" field should be there and I like the idea of a list with the common choices plus  "Other" (with space to fill in).  It just shouldn't be labeled "Preferred Pronoun".

[eacote]

Yes!! I agree! Just label it "pronoun"