Dear BTL,
As a transgender ally and advocate, I frequently and politely correct individuals when they make pronoun or name blunders when referring to transgender individuals. Now it's my turn to politely correct you: in Greg Tasker's 5/18 article entitled "Forum addresses transgender people and public restrooms," he referred to a female-to-male (FTM) transgender individual named Knoll as "she."
All individuals should be referred to as the names and pronouns with which they identify. It may seem fairly simple, but this seemingly small act goes a long way to create a culture of respect and celebration of transgender individuals.
TransGender Michigan's website, www.transgendermichigan.org, is a great resource for those wishing to learn more about transgender identity and ways in which they can act as an ally to the transgender community. I hope that you'll consider utilizing the organization's webpage and numerous pieces of literature to learn more.
Carrie E. V. Copeland,
Chairperson of TransGender Michigan
