At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. Therefore, we are committed to providing a welcoming and respectful environment for students, faculty, and staff to express themselves, whatever their identities may be. Therefore, we invite you to share your pronouns within the UW community as you feel comfortable, and expect that all UW community members respect all others’ identities.

The UW acknowledges that community members with trans, non-binary and gender expansive identities face harassment and discrimination based on their gender expression at higher rates than others. As with all bigotry, this is often based on ignorance and myth. The University is dedicated to making sure that everyone feels welcome and respected during their time at the UW. 

This page will help you understand the ways in which you can indicate your pronouns within UW systems. You can also read about proper pronoun usage and expectations in the UW community.

Your Pronouns, Your Choice

We want every member of the UW community to be addressed in ways that align with their identities and values, and we also acknowledge that people have different levels of comfort sharing their pronouns depending on the setting.

For some people, adding pronouns may feel easy and obvious. If you have used the same pronouns your whole life, if your pronouns don’t identify you as being different, or if you feel secure in your identity and well-supported in your community, then the decision to include your pronouns may feel empowering or it may not feel like a big deal. That’s great!

For others, pronouns may not feel easy or safe to share. Some of us may not be sure what pronouns are right for us right now. We may use different pronouns across different settings and want to control which pronouns we share when. Some of us have valid concerns about privacy, safety and trust and may choose not to share our pronouns with everyone in our lives. At the UW, we support every person to be their own best advocate and to share only what feels right for them right now.

We all deserve to feel safe and respected, no matter our identities or self-expression. Unfortunately, we don’t exist in a world that guarantees safety and respect. Deciding with whom to share your pronouns is an act of self-awareness and self-protection. 

Where to share your pronouns

The UW provides multiple online systems and platforms for students and employees to indicate their pronouns.

Identity.UW: For sharing your pronouns with UW faculty, academic personnel and support staff (counselors, advisors, etc).  Learn more about setting your pronouns in Identity.UW. Please understand that UW pronoun support is a work-in-progress; currently, only a few interfaces consume pronoun information from Identity.UW. We are working on growing pronoun support to increase awareness among faculty, academic personnel and support staff, but it will take time and patience. If you have feedback, please let us know.

Zoom: For displaying your pronouns during Zoom meetings. Learn more about sharing your pronouns in Zoom. Please understand that Zoom pronoun support is not controlled by the UW. If you have feedback or recommendations, send an email to help@uw.edu with the subject of “Zoom feedback” and the UW Zoom service team will advocate on your behalf.

Canvas: For sharing with classmates, instructors and TAs in Canvas. Learn more about sharing your pronouns in Canvas as a student and as an instructor. Please understand that Canvas pronoun support is not controlled by UW. If you have feedback or recommendations, you can contact the company directly. When you reference that you are from the UW, the UW Canvas service team will be alerted to help advocate on your behalf.

At UW, we support every person being their own best advocate and only sharing what feels right for them right now. If you are not certain about which pronouns to use in which systems, then we encourage you to use the “ask me” option or skip adding your pronouns through one or more of the platforms listed. Remember: You can always decide to share your pronouns privately and/or add them to your profile at another time.

Considerations when sharing your pronouns

Pronouns are social and humans make mistakes

Remember that once we share our pronouns with someone, we can’t control what they do with it. While UW faculty, academic personnel, and support staff are dedicated to supporting you and your needs and rights, we also have to acknowledge that we are all human and may make mistakes. 

For example, if you only want certain pronouns used in selective spaces, no matter how clearly you make your request, there is a risk someone may mistakenly use private pronouns in other contexts. We ask that you consider this risk when sharing your pronouns in any context.

Other considerations

The UW might be required to share pronoun information in public records requests or in other situations when required by law. In some instances, a person’s pronouns may be considered an education record and protected from disclosure by FERPA.

In addition, remember that when working in public spaces (such as when logging into a campus computer or when others are walking by in public spaces), there is a chance of others seeing your screen and information.

Ask for help

If you have questions or want to talk through sharing your pronouns or identity at the UW, please refer to the resources at your campus:  

Seattle campus: you can contact the Q Center.

Bothell campus: students can contact the Bothell Student Diversity Center.

Tacoma campus: students can schedule an appointment with Student Advocacy and Support by filling out this form and choosing the “referral to Student Advocacy and Support” option. 

Are you or someone you know feeling disrespected, harassed, discriminated against or unwelcome at the UW because of their gender identity?

This behavior is not acceptable at the UW, and there are state laws and UW policies that protect you from this type of treatment. We are so sorry that you have encountered this and want to help.

The Office of the Title IX Coordinator has resources to help you get support, file a formal complaint or request an investigation if you choose. Please read through your options and proceed with the channel that feels right to you. Remember: You don’t need to request an official report or investigation in order to get support.