In official communications, UNC often refers to the value of inclusivity. As such, it makes sense for the University to follow through when new avenues of making students feel at home are presented.
This editorial board would be cheered if the University adopted preferred gender pronouns into the ConnectCarolina system.
Gender identity, like sexuality, exists on a spectrum. It is important not to marginalize people who are disregarded by dominant gender categories in our society.
Having your gender misidentified by an instructor is an alienating feeling. There is an easy way to avoid this situation, so it should be pursued.
Of course, any project like this costs time and money, and the University has limited resources. That said, the difficulty of adding preferred pronouns as a field in a database is much less daunting than other tasks the University is committed to — tasks like finding cures for HIV/AIDs and cutting edge treatments for cancer.
It is unlikely that the effort required is so severe that it’s not worth providing a simple courtesy to students who are already dealt tremendous stresses because of their gender identities.
Maribel Carrion, Information Technology Services’ director of business applications, has said no one has requested this kind of change to the ConnectCarolina system.
This editorial board is requesting it here. We encourage students who agree to contact Carrion or others at ITS to voice their support for this change as well.
This wouldn’t be an earth-shaking change, only a simple act of compassion.
