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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Flame U chapter.

The learning environment in classrooms and beyond is not as inclusive as it seems, according to the trans and non-binary students in universities in India. 
A 2017 survey conducted in 10 educational institutions in Delhi revealed that over 30% of 700 students reported that they witnessed trans and non-binary students getting bullied by their peers, 39% reported name-calling, and 24% physical abuse. Shockingly, only 6% of the students were aware that there were trans students in their batch, however, 19% identified as trans or gender-nonconforming in the same batch. This last statistic shows the poor visibility that trans students get in institutions, hence as a non-binary student at a university myself, I’m going to encourage you to start being gender-inclusive.

importance of pronouns

The importance of pronouns while introducing yourself and how to respect someone else’s, the negative impact of gendered language and norms, and how you can play your part in moving beyond a system rooted in the gender binary.

Queer students and groups on university campuses are often not acknowledged by their peers and the administration. Moreover, most universities in India are not gender-inclusive, as is proven by several incidents of queerphobia. 

Not only that, public and private universities across India use highly gendered language that only caters to the gender binary, right from writing “girls” and “boys” in admissions guides to giving only two options in various Google forms. Many students also confirm using words and phrases like “he/she”, “his/her” (when referring to people with they/them pronouns) and “Hey guys”. 

The word ‘guys’ is gendered, yet most of our batchmates use it to refer to or call everyone. ‘Guy was originally an eponym for someone named Guy Fawkes, but by the mid-19th century, its meaning had widened to denote a man.

Brad Ward, a trans woman who is a college counsellor in California, has reflected on the harm that this word has on most trans people because when she is included with a group that is called guys, there’s some pain since it takes her back to her male days in a way that she’d rather not go.

This brings me to the most pressing issue when it comes to inclusivity at higher-education institutions: Pronouns are not respected and there have been several instances of misgendering, as reported by trans and non-binary students. I’ve had to correct several peers repeatedly.

According to my and several genderqueer students’ observations, more than half the student population does not introduce themselves with their pronouns which is why it is necessary to make this shift. 

Not introducing yourselves with your pronouns, and not respecting someone else’s (intentionally or otherwise) is a sign of you conforming to the gender binary by making assumptions based on physical appearance. Even for cisgender people, putting pronouns is important and relevant because it shows that they are active and respectful allies to the community.

how to be an ally

So, what are some ways in which you can start abolishing the binary, now that you’re aware that universities have seen their fair share of prejudice? 

Start making changes to your everyday language by using gender-neutral terminology.

We also need to start questioning things, like why do we need kids to stand in lines divided by gender, or why have boys-only and girls-only schools?

After you start thinking about these solutions, here’s what a revised gender-inclusive environment at universities in India would look like.

The trans community will not feel as violated and unsafe as before. The practice of not assuming gender and actively using pronouns instead will be normalised. This will give room for anyone else who wants to experiment with their gender, be it with their pronouns or clothing, and will encourage people to be more open about who they are. 

Enough said, here’s what you must do:

  • Get rid of “Hey guys”, “Ladies and gentlemen”, “Boys and girls” instead, start saying ‘Hey, y’all” or “Hey, everybody”, “Folks”, or “People”. 
  • When you meet someone for the first time or in a new setting like the first day of class, state your pronouns and ask them theirs. Address them by “they/them” until you know their pronouns. This doesn’t assume everyone is non-binary but instead helps you take a step further from the system.
  • Add your pronouns to Zoom/Google Meet meetings, or even your LinkedIn profiles. Moreover, if you are a Her Campus writer, you could add your pronouns to your bio so any visitors to your profile do not assume who you are.
  • Take this one step further and add them to your email signatures too.

Next time you’re interacting with someone in university or beyond, you’re going to get rid of ‘guys’ and gendered assumptions, and instead focus on pronouns and inclusive language. 

Hopefully, you’re now aware of the poor respect and visibility that trans students get but if you still believe that the gender non-binary is a fad and there are only two genders, then history dictates that living beyond the binary has existed since before your birth. Look at the hijras in South Asia, two-spirits in Native America, and warias in Indonesia. You’re not quite aware of them because of how the Western gender binary has erased them. But even in the Western world, pink was considered a “masculine” colour and heels were actually first worn by men. Going forward, queer clubs and unions ought to be given formal recognition by higher authorities by officially registering them as a sociocultural club, and placing them on equal footing as more popular clubs.

Ayushi Pandey

Flame U '25

With a Bachelor of Arts in Literary and Cultural Studies, I critically analyze and research texts, from books, films and other audio-visual pop culture media. I have written several academic papers and creative pieces, ranging from poems to screenplays and have worked in publishing houses, writing long-form articles and researching. I aim to work in publishing, content creation, editing, research, writing and presenting. Besides my keenness for literary studies, I also dabble in watching films and shows, running, gaming and playing the trumpet.