What is Deadnaming?
Deadnaming: What it is and why it’s a problem
Deadnaming occurs when someone refers to a trans person by their birth name or name they no longer use from before they transitioned (Chiu, 2018). This can occur both intentionally and unintentionally; regardless of intention, it still has negative impact. By deadnaming someone, it is showing a sign of disrespect. It is invalidating who they are and demonstrates a lack of care for that person and their gender identity (Clements, 2017). If you do accidentally use the wrong name, apologize and move on in the conversation. Then commit to doing better going forward by working to learn and use the proper name.
There is scientific proof that using the correct name can have positive impacts on mental health and vice versa. A recent study found that using a trans person's correct name can lead to a 29% decrease in suicidal ideation and 56% decrease in suicidal behavior (Russell, S.T., Pollitt, A.M., Li, G., and Grossman, A.H., 2018). The study concludes that using someone's correct name affirms their gender identity and reduces mental health risks (Russell, S.T. et al, 2018). Another study found that suicide rates are significantly higher in trans youth as compared with straight counterparts, with adolescents transitioning female to male having the highest rate of attempted suicide at 50.8% and adolescents transitioning male to female having a rate of attempted suicide at 29.9% (Toomey, R.B., Syvertsen, A.K., and Shramko, M., 2018).
One place deadnaming often occurs is in the media, and specifically in reporting on the death of a trans person. Similarly, this occurs with misgendering, which is using the wrong pronouns. In an interview with NBC, journalist Imara Jones says, “If you don’t even see trans people as people in death, you’re not going to see trans people as people in life” (NBC News, 2020). Jones goes on to discuss how reporting of trans people especially after they’ve passed away is usually focused on what happened to them and the tragedy of their death, without acknowledging the people who will miss them, the family and friends who loved them, and the value they had in life (NBC News, 2020).
Within this institution, there are changes that need to be made. In the 10th edition of their media reference guide, GLAAD outlines suggestions for the media to implement in their reporting, such as using an active voice in reporting. For instance, saying “this person's name is X” rather than “this person goes by X” or “prefers to be called X” (GLAAD, 2016). This further casts doubt on their identity and should be avoided.
One action you can take to support trans people is by donating to those who are trying to legally change their name. It can be a challenging and expensive process, so financial support is a great wait to help. If you’re unable to give financially, you can always share GoFundMe links on your social media.
Here are some resources if you’re looking to legally change your name or to donate to help others with that process:
National Center for Transgender Equality - ID Documents Center
Transgender Law Center - Identity Documents Resources
Sylvia Rivera Law Project - How to Change Your IDs
Deadnaming is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. As individuals, we all must put forth the effort to make the change (Clements, 2017). Correct others who use a deadname. It isn’t hard to use the correct name, but the consequences of using the wrong name can have lifelong impact on someone’s mental health.
Sources:
Butler, T. (2018). What is deadnaming and who is guilty of it? Pink News. Retrieved from https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/12/04/deadname-deadnaming/
Chiu, Allyson. (2018). Laverne Cox lambastes ‘deadnaming.’ What is it and why is it a problem? The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/14/laverne-cox-lambastes-deadnaming-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-a-problem/
Clements, KC. (2017). Deadnaming: What is it and why is it harmful? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/transgender/deadnaming
GLAAD. (2016). GLAAD media reference guide: 10th edition. Retrieved from https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/GLAAD-Media-Reference-Guide-Tenth-Edition.pdf
NBC News. (2020). Imara Jones: How the media falls short covering trans issues. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/imara-jones-how-the-media-falls-short-covering-trans-issues-86058053663
Russell, S.T., Pollitt, A.M., Li, G., and Grossman, A.H., (2018). Chosen name use is linked to reduced depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior among transgender youth. Journal of Adolescent Health. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.02.003
Toomey, R.B., Syvertsen, A.K., and Shramko, M. (2018). Transgender adolescent suicide behavior. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4218