Changing phrasing of multiple pronoun options to "/" instead of "or"

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Status: Archived Submitted by on ‎04-07-2021 02:53 PM

The addition of multiple pronoun options are great, but the phrasing of them should be changed because it's currently misleading. The current "_ or _" phrasing suggests that people can choose which pronoun to refer to someone as, when for many people BOTH are preferred and should be used interchangeably. As someone that uses multiple pronouns (specifically she/they), the "or" phrasing makes it sound as if it's an either/or option when I actually prefer being referred to as both. The "or" also makes these pronoun options stand out, since the "he/him", "she/her", "they/them" options don't use this "or". Changing the phrasing to a slash would not alienate people with multiple pronouns as much and would also not mislead people to think it's an either/or option. People that use multiple pronouns don't state it as "_ or _", so it shouldn't be phrased this way on Canvas either.

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3 Comments
Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
‎04-07-2021 03:05 PM
Status changed to: Archived

@hflikej 

Thanks for sharing this idea. It's possible that the "or" construction has been added as a customization by your school's local Canvas admin: the standard is depicted in  How do I select personal pronouns in my user accou... : She/Her, He/Him, and They/Them are the out-of-the-box choices, but admins can customize these as they choose.

Canvas doesn't currently have functionality that gives users the option to select multiple combinations. Where are you seeing "or" display in your settings?

hflikej
Community Member
Author
‎04-07-2021 03:15 PM

The "or" options for multiple pronouns show up in the drop-down menu when selecting pronouns. How do I find who my local Canvas admin is to ask them about this?

Stef_retired
Instructure Alumni
Instructure Alumni
‎04-07-2021 03:20 PM

@hflikej 

Yes, what you've described sounds like a local customization.

Am I correct that you're associated with the University of Maryland? If so, this would be a good starting point:  ITSC Service Portal - IT Service Desk

If I've assumed incorrectly and you're not enrolled at UMD, please look through your school's website for contact information for the IT Desk or eLearning Department.

Thanks!