Deadnaming is a form of discrimination and a microaggression against transgender and nonbinary people.
Deadnaming can make a person feel invalidated.
It can also be psychologically harmful and even put the person’s life at risk.
SolStock / Getty Images
What Are “Transgender” and “Nonbinary”?
“Nonbinary” refers to someone whose gender identity is not solely male or female.
For many people,transitioning to a different genderidentity is a challenging, lonely, and even scary process.
If you accidentally deadname someone, apologize right away.
Be brief in your apology, and be sure not to overdo it.
Be careful not to be overly apologetic if you accidentally deadname someone.
The more you apologize or focus on your error, the more attention you give to it.
Changing a name is often a long and complicated process, and hearing a former name can be triggering.
If you accidentally deadname someone, apologize quickly.
Be careful not to make a big deal of it and avoid doing it again.
If you are being deadnamed and are comfortable correcting the person, gently do so in the moment.
If you deadname a trans or nonbinary person, apologize quickly.
Be prepared to respect their decision and to act if they say yes.
Sinclair-Palm J.Its non-existent: haunting in trans youth narratives about naming.Occasional Paper Series.
2017;2017(37).
Seely N.Reporting on transgender victims of homicide: practices of misgendering, sourcing and transparency.Newspaper Research Journal.
2021;42(1):74-94. doi:10.1177/0739532921989872
