Eric Chambers, PhD

Growing social awareness of nonbinary identities (i.e., those whose identities fall outside the gender binary) can present challenges to practitioners that expose the many ways in which gender difference is encoded within all languages.  This course is designed to help practitioners navigate the process of affirming the identities of nonbinary clients through describing the many (and often insidious) ways in which language can force speakers to ‘choose’ a gender, and identifying innovations within language that allow nonbinary speakers to use pronouns and other language choices that affirm their identity.  This course will also provide strategies for clinicians and practitioners to honor pronoun use and language choices of nonbinary speakers, including repair strategies and creating spaces for both themselves and clients to explore the nuances of gender identity.

Eric Chambers is currently adjunct professor of linguistics at the State University of New York at New Paltz, and is the Director of Research for the Center for Positive Sexuality. He has been published in the Journal of Language and Sexuality and contributed a chapter to the edited volume Digital Orality: Vernacular Writing in Online Spaces. His research currently focuses on the emergence and contestation of non-binary pronouns in languages throughout the world.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, the learner will be able to:

• Describe how languages show gender difference (morphological, lexical, pronominal);
• Identify at least 3 negative health outcomes for clients that identify outside of the gender binary that arise from linguistic challenges;
• Explain differences in use among various terms used by nonbinary individuals to describe themselves and others;
• Implement clinical strategies that honor the pronoun uses and language choices of clients identifying outside the gender binary

Cost:

Professionals seeking 1 unit/hour of APA credit - $75
Attendees not seeking credits - $40
Students - $25

Center for Positive Sexuality is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Center for Positive Sexuality maintains responsibility for this program and its content.