Dr Sebastian Cordoba will explore non-binary gender identities at the conference hosted by University College London (UCL)
Date: 13 June 2023
Dr Sebastian Cordoba, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, will deliver a keynote speech at UCL’s “Challenging the Binary: Non-Binary, Genderqueer, and Gender-Neutral Language” conference on 14 June.
This conference, which was organised by UCL’s Hebrew and Jewish Studies and the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, aims to explore non-binary, gender-inclusive, and gender-non-conforming language cross-linguistically. Cordoba’s talk will be based on his recent book “Non-binary gender identities: The language of becoming” (2023) published by Routledge.
The book examines how non-binary people discover, adopt, and negotiate language in a variety of social settings, both offline and online. In this empirical research, Sebastian considers how language, in the form of gender-neutral pronouns, names, and labels, is a central aspect of identity for many and has been the subject of much debate in recent years.
Further, Sebastian will reflect on his positionality as a cisgender researcher, as well as his insider position as an openly queer academic at London Metropolitan University, where he is also the co-chair of the LGBTQIA+ Staff Network. In this role he has organised various events celebrating queer identities and experiences within the university, including talks and events with Switchboard, Homo Humour, and the newly established Rainbow Room. He currently leads on the Queering the Curriculum initiatives within London Metropolitan University, drawing from the Education for Social Justice Framework.
