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BROOKE LARSON

Studying pronouns in the trans and non-binary context is vitally important, but it is only one part of a bigger picture. Research is not independent of politics, especially in this case, and the freedom to study trans and non-binary topics is inseparable from trans and non-binary rights in general. Because of this, it is important to think about how to secure and protect the people pronouns are used to refer to. In this presentation, Larson talks about how we get to study pronouns in the first place, what the threats are to that freedom, and practical tools that we can use to expand the power we have to direct our research and live our lives. Larson will discuss the role of academia, the use of the law, and examples of people taking power into their own hands to change the world.

This talk is one of four keynote talks during They, Hirself, Em and You: Nonbinary Pronouns in Theory and Practice, a conference held at Queen’s University from June 11-13 with the generous support of many Queen’s funds, units and departments, as well as the Canadian Linguistics Association and the University of Toronto Linguistics Department.