Campus Dining Today - NACUFS 2023 - 41

understand, they were respectful. Crimmins loved
that both names and pronouns were visible on
everyone's nametags to help facilitate respect and
normalization.
Curtis cited nametags with pronouns as a concern,
as well, because as an rA with no nametag, she
finds herself having to correct people. Curtis also
talked about the importance of job applications that
provide a place for an alternate or preferred name.
This can prevent the discomfort of being addressed
at the beginning of a job interview by a " dead
name, " which is the birth name of a transgender
person who has changed their name as part of their
transition. She said employers should also provide
an option to select a gender other than male or
female on job applications.
" It's those kinds of small key things that we can use
to identify prior to the interview, prior to reaching
face-to-face interaction, " she said.
Alvers also noted that certain kinds of work attire
and uniforms can be alienating.
" Queer and trans people might have a different
sense of what feels good, " they said. " I might not
dress the way that hiring managers expect a man or
woman to dress in a professional context-do I get a
second chance at employment? "
Crimmins said the most important way they feel
supported by cisgender friends and colleagues is
through acknowledgement, particularly through
pronouns. When they introduce themselves with
their pronouns, their nonbinary friends light up,
because it helps them feel noticed, seen, and
understood.
" I've seen my cisgender colleagues introduce
themselves with their pronouns and they get the
same reaction, " Crimmins said. " So just doing
that little bit shows people that you're trying to
understand and that you are a safe person for
them. "
After the session, Frank Merckx, vice president for
enrollment management and campus life at Drew
University, said the panelists were all incredible for
sharing their stories, but that they may have been
light about what many in the community experience
on college campuses.
" They alluded to it, but challenges still persist on
most campuses in making sure that people are
named correctly in electronic systems, " Merckx said.
" One issue the panelists identified, that of outing
students in mailings, I thought was a good point-
when do you out someone and when do you make
them feel valued by how and where you use their
preferred name? So, when a new student puts their
preferred name into a database, do you send that
information to their home address? Great things for
us all to be mindful of. "
Merckx added that the information shared was very
solid and helpful.
" Being part of the community as a gay man, I
appreciate how everybody's story is unique and
individual, so it was great to be able to hear these
students' stories, " Merckx said.
Mariah McDaniel, MS, rDN, registered dietitian
nutritionist at the University of Georgia Dining
Services, was moved by the session.
" I'm tearful. I'm a member of the LGBTQ+ community,
and it was so nice to have this as a main event, "
McDaniel said. " It's nice to have everyone listening
and taking a moment to experience this in a
nonjudgmental way. "
* Penn LGBT Center
* The Consortium of Higher Education
LGBT Resource Professionals
* GLAAD
* Trans Legislation Tracker
* Your OWN campus partners! LGBT
Center, DEI office, etc.
ALLYSHIP & INCLUSIvITY ON CAMPUS | CAMPUS DINING TODAY
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reTUrN TO TABLe OF CONTeNTS
Resources
https://lgbtcenter.universitylife.upenn.edu/ https://www.lgbtcampus.org/ https://www.lgbtcampus.org/ https://glaad.org/ https://translegislation.com/
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