Gender Identity & Pronouns

All individuals want and need to be correctly identified. It is important that we as a community all use and model the use of correct gender and gender pronouns. Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment in which all can pursue their academic goals.

To help us achieve this, we ask the entire New School community to pay attention to each student's, faculty member's, or staff person's gender and pronoun use. It is important not to simply rely on one's perceptions and assumptions but to be proactive in asking a person about their gender and/or pronouns. We ask that students, faculty, and staff respect everyone's right to self-determination in our community by making every effort to use the correct pronouns.

The New School Policy on Discrimination states that "acts of discrimination including discriminatory harassment are prohibited." The policy defines discriminatory harassment as “speech or expression that directly or deliberately insults, stigmatizes, threatens, or intimidates an individual or small group of specific individuals on the basis of … sex or gender (including gender identity and expression)... sexual orientation… or any other legally protected status or personal attributes.” The university policy aligns with New York City’s Commission on Human Rights’ (NYCCHR) nondiscrimination law as it pertains to transgender and gender non-conforming people. For more information, see the NYCCHR law.

Below is information based on materials written by Mateo Medina for Hampshire College. You can also find more information about supporting transgender and gender non-conforming students on New School alum Edmund Green Langdell's website.