Cape Town high school embraces inclusivity with pronoun badges

Westerford High School in Rondebosch, Cape Town, has given its pupils the option to wear badges with their preferred pronouns on them. The school’s deputy principal Alison Gray told the Cape Argus that their LGBTQI+ society, PLUS, felt it would be a positive for pupils and staff. 

Gray added that there has been a positive response from the pupils at the school. Some have even started purchasing the R5 badges for their friends at other schools.

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WESTERFORD HIGH SCHOOL EMBRACES ALL PRONOUNS

Westerford High School has embraced its LGBTQI+ pupils in a heartwarming way. The pupils at the school have been given the option to display their preferred pronouns on a badge being sold for R5. 

“It also allows those who are trans to be gendered correctly,” said Gray. 

“By having cisgender and trans people displaying their pronouns, we hope that this ‘normalisation’ of people just being who they are will result in safer space for all,” he added.

POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM PARENTS 

A parent at Westerford High School, Marion Stevens, said the pupils had been wanting the badges for quite some time now in order to feel more comfortable at school.

Stevens added that as a parent, she feels more at ease about leaving her child at the high school as her child was bullied on primary school level. 

Gray said the school is proud of their PLUS society for moving forward with the initiative in order to reflect a school space that is inclusive of everyone.

ALSO READ: International Pronouns Day: How to ask what someone’s pronouns are

HOW TO SUPPORT LGBTQI+ PUPILS 

1. CREATING A SAFE SPACE 

Pupils will always feel more comfortable if there are safe spaces at school that allow them to be themselves. School staff should start conversations around diversity at the school. Newsletters, assemblies and informative talks are a good place to start. 

2. LGBTQI+ TOPICS 

There is a long list of issues the LGBTQI+ community face daily. Some of these issues include struggling with identity, “fitting in” and the difference between gender and sexual orientation. These are just a few issues that can be tackled at school.

3. MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT 

Coming out as a young person puts a lot of strain on one’s mental health.

According to Beyond Blue, an Australian mental health organisation, the LGBTQI+ community can have higher levels of anxiety and psychological distress.