How can I affirm gender in my event planning and campus programs?

Before You Begin Planning an Event
Venue
    • Plan to host your programs and events in venues that have all-gender restrooms, whether on or off-campus.
Marketing Materials
    • Be sure that you use images that speak to a broad audience and do not reinforce the gender binary
    • Share information about what people can anticipate in terms of access to all-gender restrooms.
Invitations
    • Example: if you are collecting gender information such as Mrs., Mr., and Miss, include Mx. A gender inclusive term. Generally, we encourage gender inclusive references unless an individual has specified their pronouns.
Registration Form
    • Use inclusive terms such as “partner,” and “spouse” instead of gendered terms such as husband and wife.
    • Use inclusive terms like “parent, guardian, family” instead of “mother” and “father.
    • Create a space for participants to indicate their pronouns.
    • Note: Avoid calling them ‘preferred pronouns’, but also ensure that when you’re sending google forms to collect information, do not make the pronoun section required. This will respect an individual’s privacy and comfortability with disclosing their gender identity.
When You Host Your Event 
Name tags
    • Print their pronouns on their name tags or leave extra space on their name tags for them to fill in their own.
Discussion Topics
    • Consider whether your tabletop discussion topics are things that might be accessible and interesting to a diverse audience, or could alienate trans or gender non-conforming participants.
Speakers
    • Be sure you address the audience to affirm diverse gender identities, e.g. do not say ladies and gentlemen. You may want to say participants, folks, students or use another more expansive term.
    • You should also introduce the pronouns of speakers, panelists, etc.