Growing Equitable Library Services
CT Libraries and Serving the LGBTQ+ Community
With Rebecca Degnan, LPC Prism Counseling and Support LLC
Session 1: Understanding and Respecting Pronouns
Tuesday, April 18 | 10:00 am - 11:00am
Register
Understanding and Respecting Pronouns is a one-hour professional development workshop addressing the various types of
pronouns that are used within the LGBTQ+ community, why it is important to be aware of and use correct pronouns when addressing people, ways to practice, and what to do if you make a mistake. Recommended for all library staff, including librarians, administrators,
managers, volunteers, etc.
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Why are pronouns important?
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Common pronouns
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They/Them pronouns
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Neopronouns
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Genderless pronouns for addressing groups
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How/When to ask someone their pronouns
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Normalizing the conversation around pronouns
Goals of the Series
The goal of these workshops is to educate the staff of the CT State Library about LGBTQ+ identities, the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth and adults, and how they
can best support and affirm LGBTQ+ individuals as patrons and employees in the library setting. This is in line with the mission of the GELS program, to “provide the trainings that help libraries become strength-based, trauma-informed, antiracist, social and
emotionally conscious community institutions.”
 Rebecca
Degnan is the founder, owner and manager of Prism Counseling and Support LLC, and currently the sole clinician. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and
has a passion for working with LGBTQ+ youth and their families. She received her Master of Science degree in counseling at CCSU in 2012. She has worked as a school counselor at the middle school level for over 6 years. She is proud to have started her school’s
first Gay-Straight Alliance while working there and provided professional development trainings for staff at other middle and high schools about how to support LGBTQ+ youth in our schools. She is the very proud mother of two kids, her 13-year-old daughter
and her 15-year old son who is transgender. Find her at https://www.prismcounselingct.com/.
Coming up in the CT Libraries and Serving the LGBTQ+ Community Series:
- Session 2: Pitfalls & Mistakes to Avoid
Tuesday, April 25 | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | Register
- Session 3: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
Monday, May 8 | 9:30 am – 11:00 am | Register
- Session 4: Fostering an Inclusive Environment in Your Organization
Monday, May 15 | 9:30 am – 11:00 am | Register
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