Knowledge and Acceptance of Inclusive Language in Employees at Wisconsin Childcare Centers

Abstract

Transgender and non-binary individuals (TNBI) within healthcare settings often experience a lack of gender-inclusive language and practices. The term transgender refers to an individual with a current gender identity not aligning with the gender assigned to them at birth, and individuals identifying as non-binary have gender identities that do not categorize them into exclusively a man or woman (Moseson et al., 2020). In the United States, 1.3 million adults identify as transgender, consisting of about 0.5% of the population that is 18 years or older (Herman et al., 2022). Disregarding the experiences of TNBI means not accounting for an entire population of individuals, meaning healthcare professionals have a responsibility to account for TNBI while communicating in healthcare settings. Previously collected qualitative data showed that TNBI often experience gendered language in healthcare settings, noting feelings of isolation and anxiety when they are misgendered by their healthcare providers (Copeland et al., 2023; Fischer, 2021). Limited research exists on how much knowledge and acceptance other providers, such as childcare providers, have towards use of inclusive language. In this study, we surveyed Wisconsin childcare centers employees to understand their knowledge and acceptance levels of inclusive language.