This blog originally appeared at LGBTQ NATION.
Megan Red Shirt-Shaw and her husband, John Little, who both work at the University of South Dakota, have long included their pronouns and tribal affiliations in their email signatures. Red Shirt-Shaw expressed that, “The ability to share my tribal affiliation as well as gender pronouns signals that I am a person who values the lived experiences of others.”
In March, they received a written warning from the University of South Dakota, informing them that their email signatures were in violation of a new policy introduced by the South Dakota Board of Regents in December.
John Little told the Associated Press, “I believe the exact wording was that I had ‘five days to correct the behavior.’ If my tribal affiliation and pronouns were not removed after those five days, administrators would then decide whether I would be suspended (with or without pay) or immediately terminated.”
The move follows South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s directive to the Board of Regents to combat what she views as “liberal ideologies” on college campuses. Her requests included removing all references to preferred pronouns from school materials and banning drag shows. Notably, Gov. Noem appointed all nine members of the Board of Regents.
This latest policy change, which removes the ability for South Dakota public university employees to express their tribal affiliations and gender identity, adds to a series of controversial actions by Gov. Noem. Many South Dakota tribes have restricted her access to their lands due to her claims that tribal reservations are harboring drug cartels and neglecting children.
Critics argue that the policy represents a double erasure of queer Indigenous individuals, including two-spirit people. Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager for the ACLU South Dakota, noted, “Maybe their intent was to suppress pronoun usage in email signatures, but as is often the case with any limitation or suppression of free speech, there’s always unintended consequences. There is also a component here of double erasure. There are plenty of queer Indigenous folks in South Dakota.”
Paulette Grandberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, expressed that while the policy was not surprising given the current climate, it marks a troubling trend. “Quite frankly, this is the first I’ve heard of a state university using branding standards to eliminate what had become a practice of including pronouns and tribal affiliations in emails… it is a steady progression [towards the right]. This comes in the form of communications and branding standards. Is that going to be the next frontier in sanitizing the realities of our differences?”
A spokesperson for the University of South Dakota declined to comment on whether administrative or faculty leadership had reviewed the policy before its implementation, referring questions instead to the Board of Regents. Shuree Mortenson, a spokesperson for the Board, stated that while the decision could be reviewed by the six universities under the regents’ board, it was ultimately made by the Board itself. Mortenson did not provide details on whether other staff or faculty had received similar warnings or if tribal leaders were consulted.
John Little remarked, “It was clear that they had not considered that this would impact Native employees.”
On social media, Red Shirt-Shaw criticized the policy as further erasure of Native people in South Dakota. Both she and Little have now included their tribal affiliations and pronouns in the body of their emails, which the university currently permits.
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