Honoring names – the name of the Church and LGBTQ names/pronouns
churchofJesusChrist.org
“The Name of the Church is Not Negotiable,” declared Elder Neil L. Andersen in the Oct 2021 general conference. I wholeheartedly agree.
The same logic applies to the names and pronouns of our LGBTQ siblings. Let’s take Elder Andersen’s clear, inspired words from that talk about the name of the Church and apply them to the names of our LGBTQ siblings.
First the name of the Church (using quotes from that talk):
“President Nelson acknowledged that it was ‘going to be a challenge to [reestablish the name of the Church and] undo [a] tradition of more than a hundred years. The Lord impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He decreed for His Church.’ We appreciate the many good and gracious people who have honored our desire to be called by our correct name. Thank you for extending to us the same consideration given cultural, athletic, political, or community organizations by using our preferred name.”
Now the same logic for LGBTQ names and pronouns:
“I acknowledge that it is going to be a challenge to establish my name and pronouns and undo the tradition of many years. My Heavenly Parents impressed upon my mind the importance of the name and pronouns They decreed for me. I appreciate the many good and gracious people who have honored my desire to be called by my correct name and pronouns. Thank you for extending to me the same consideration given cultural, athletic, political, or community organizations and even the Church itself by using my preferred name and pronouns.”
More from Kat Jercich in the Washington Post article “Please stop making jokes about gender pronouns when people tell you theirs,” December 11, 2019:
Having my gender interpreted incorrectly makes me feel panicky, like trying on a sweater that’s too tight around the neck in a crowded store. Others have said it makes them feel stigmatized, lonely, dysphoric, depressed or threatened. It’s not appropriate for people who aren’t in danger of being fired, evicted or even murdered for their gender identity to decide that pronouns are a joking matter.
Taking pronouns seriously signals that you’ve thought about what trans and gender-nonconforming people face. That doesn’t automatically make you an ally, which requires much more work. But it does mean you’re at least trying to demonstrate basic respect — just like calling someone by the correct name.”
Basic respect — for the Church and our LGBTQ siblings — means using the correct name. It means more than you may know.
-Marci