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How we talk and the words we choose matter and few people understand that better than Assistant Professor Archie Crowley. While Crowley teaches a variety of English courses at ������Ƶ, their specialty and passion lie in linguistics.

Crowley’s research focuses on queer and trans communities, particularly in the U.S. South, and the ways language evolves. Over the past several years, trans people have gained greater public visibility, which, Crowley says, has sparked debates about language.

“How do trans people want people to refer to us?” Crowley asks. “What are the ‘correct’ ways to talk about transness?”

While many people look to Crowley for answers to these questions, Crowley is not interested in coining new terms. Through interviews with members of queer and trans communities, Crowley has found that people navigate the ever-changing landscape of gender and language in different ways.

“One interviewee said that if you’re about to say ‘thank you, sir’ or ‘thank you, ma’am’ to be polite, you could choose another phrase that conveys the same respect,” Crowley said. “Something like ‘thank you so much.’”

At ������Ƶ, mentorship takes many forms. Before arriving at the university, Crowley found mentorship through Professor of Art History Kirstin Ringelberg.

During the interview process, Crowley was asked whether there was anyone on campus they would like to meet. They requested a conversation with a trans faculty member to gain insight into that experience at ������Ƶ.

Ringelberg, who has been a member of the ������Ƶ faculty for more than 20 years, became an important resource.

“Knowing that they’ve been here so long and have so much institutional memory has been a great fountain of knowledge for me, especially navigating this campus as a trans person,” Crowley said.

Next year, Crowley will serve as coordinator of the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program. As they prepare for that role, they have looked to colleagues such as Ringelberg for guidance on creating spaces where queer and trans students, faculty and staff can thrive.

“Hiring Archie has helped with mentorship across campus,” said Ringelberg, “Archie is an incredible mentor, to our students and the way that Archie models positive but critical transness to our students is transformative .”

Like many ������Ƶ faculty members, Crowley has also become a mentor to students.

During their first year of teaching at ������Ƶ, Crowley taught Azul Bellot ’26 in an introductory linguistics course. Bellot entered the class as a psychology major but became interested in linguistics through the course. With Crowley’s guidance, Bellot designed an independent major in sociolinguistics.

Then, for an independent research project, Bellot interviewed trans women and collected stories about their health care experiences. Bellot later presented the research at the Student Undergraduate Research Forum, the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience and the Women’s and Gender Studies South Conference.

“It’s really gratifying to be able to guide someone through that process and see them get excited,” Crowley said.

For Crowley, Pride is more than a month-long celebration. Through their research, mentorship and work with the Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies program, they are helping build community where people feel seen, supported and heard.

Crowley keeps reminders of Pride’s history throughout their office, from a small brick they received at a Pride event in Alamance County to a poster commemorating the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot.

“The history of Pride is rooted in confrontation,” Crowle said. “It’s a celebration in the confrontation.”

������Ƶ honors Pride Month stories

As part of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, ������Ƶ is sharing stories through Today at ������Ƶ that highlight students, faculty and staff who contribute to a campus environment where cultural identities and experiences are celebrated year-round. Throughout the month and year, ������Ƶ also offers resources and events to support the LGBTQ+ community.