And the lesson for today is . . .

Vanderbilt University has created a Faculty Senate Gender Inclusivity Task Force, and the task force in turn has created a poster entitled "What Should I Call You?" It contains these useful guidelines:

Proactive Ways to Affirm Vanderbilt’s Commitment to Gender Inclusion:
When introducing yourself, offer your name and pronouns—even to familiar colleagues and students. Offer your name and pronoun in faculty meetings, committees, and other spaces where students may not be present.
• “I’m Steve and I use he/him/his pronouns. What should I call you?”
• “My pronouns are they/them/theirs. May I ask yours?” . . .
Include your pronouns in your email signature and on the class syllabus. . . .
IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE . . .
Graciously accept correction. Apologize and learn for next time. Take initiative. Do not expect others to remind you of their name and pronouns. “Thank you for reminding me. I apologize and will use the correct name and pronoun for you in the future.”