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Original poster

Just been told to remove my pronouns from my Teams profile

817 replies

Horrace · 18/12/2025 10:11

I'm weak 🤣
My manager just phoned me to say there has been some serious complaints made about me that he must urgently address.
I panicked.
In the Pronouns section of my Teams profile, I have

'Take a Wild Guess'

Its been there for a few years. Its finally been noticed and I've been told to take it down because it's made someone or more than one possibly, FEARFUL of me.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
12
TheKeatingFive · 18/12/2025 20:10

PurpleAxe · 18/12/2025 20:09

I have He/They/Her.

No-one has said a word. They can't tell if I am one of the pronoun people or taking the piss...

It is excellent.

😂

PurpleAxe · 18/12/2025 20:09

I have He/They/Her.

No-one has said a word. They can't tell if I am one of the pronoun people or taking the piss...

It is excellent.

CautiousLurker2 · 18/12/2025 20:05

@Horrace just been into my profile to see where my pronouns are listed. You do have to seek it out and click on the profile, which is unnecessary as my name and image is right there on teams - so anyone messaging me or speaking to me directly can see all they need to know. Someone looking up your profile for deets is, IMO, seeking to be offended… or just very nosey.

At my uni they encouraged pronouns, but I just left them blank as wasn’t too sure who might end up on my Viva one day. Yep, I’m a chicken…

MrsOvertonsWindow · 18/12/2025 19:59

DurinsBane · 18/12/2025 17:27

They are sharing their opinion/idea of gender, not sex. I have seen trans groups say ‘of course we know we can’t change sex, we are saying we have changed gender’

Show quote history

Transactivists get very cross when anyone points out that a "transwoman" is actually a man. They call you bigot and make all sorts of threats. Stonewall coined the phrase "Transwomen are women, get over it" way back in 2018.
If you don't believe me, try Pink News - apologies for the link - I know they're a dodgy source but they make this point very clearly:

https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/09/20/stonewall-tshirts-trans-women-are-women-get-over-it/

It's only since the increased public awareness of the gaslighting of children and eradication of women's rights, that the lobby groups have reverse ferreted and now claim that "of course we didn't really mean what we said in these campaigns..."

'Trans Women Are Women, Get Over It!' Stonewall takes on anti-trans rhetoric

"The fight for equality is far from over."

https://www.thepinknews.com/2018/09/20/stonewall-tshirts-trans-women-are-women-get-over-it/

whittingtonmum · 18/12/2025 19:58

Cybiil · 18/12/2025 19:53

Not really funny no. I am also 50 and I don’t think giving middle aged women a reputation of having “fuck this nonsense” attitude at work does us any favours at all. I work in a large global organisation and we have to have a corporate culture people adhere to globally . Having said that, the OP is not sending may emails which is why people haven’t noticed so not sure this is a biggie at all. Seems much ado about nothing if she is in a job where she is only using Teams.

Edited
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Totally agree. This kind of behaviour plays into a certain stereotype of a 50 something woman in the workplace those of us who are excelling in our careers are working very hard every day to deconstruct.

Therewillbeaway · 18/12/2025 19:58

HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 18:53

Is Catholic a sort of quasi-ethnicity?

I remember Dara O’Brien saying despite being atheist he’s still Catholic.

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Being ‘culturally Catholic’ is fairly common in Ireland.
It happens other places too.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Christians

Cultural Christians - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Christians

Orchidflower1 · 18/12/2025 19:55

@Horrace got to know how it came about- I know you said that’s a story for another day but even so.

mine says “add pronoun here” which is how the footer was originally emailed to us all. I’ve just never added it in the designated line. Nor do I have a phonetic spelling of my name- but that is my other story and I won’t derail 🙂

Cybiil · 18/12/2025 19:53

SabrinaThwaite · 18/12/2025 19:46

Isn’t it funny how a woman with a 30 year career might have got to the fuck that nonsense stage?

Show quote history

Not really funny no. I am also 50 and I don’t think giving middle aged women a reputation of having “fuck this nonsense” attitude at work does us any favours at all. I work in a large global organisation and we have to have a corporate culture people adhere to globally . Having said that, the OP is not sending may emails which is why people haven’t noticed so not sure this is a biggie at all. Seems much ado about nothing if she is in a job where she is only using Teams.

whittingtonmum · 18/12/2025 19:47

This reply has been deleted

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SabrinaThwaite · 18/12/2025 19:46

TesChique · 18/12/2025 18:52

30 years and you still dont know how to challenge effectively and professionally in the workplace? Sheesh

Continue your childish acts of defiance then by all means, youre really sticking it to em!

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Isn’t it funny how a woman with a 30 year career might have got to the fuck that nonsense stage?

Original poster
Horrace · 18/12/2025 19:43

JLou08 · 18/12/2025 19:37

You got a promotion after laughing in your managers face whilst in trouble? Sure you did.

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No, I've had a promotion from this manager a year ago. My pronouns status has been set for about 4 years

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 18/12/2025 19:42

whittingtonmum · 18/12/2025 10:22

I think this can be interpreted as ridiculing those who share their preferred pronouns at work. I would not call this is professional behaviour or think it's acceptable in the workplace. If I were your manager I would have asked you to take this down before complaints come in. You don't have to share your preferred pronouns if you don't wish to do so but 'take a wild guess' is not appropriate in the workplace. No doubt transphopbic mumsnetters will disagree but wonder how many of them work professionally in environments where diversity and inclusion are regarded as part of a professional business environment.

I think the compelling of adding pronouns to ones email is unprofessional and I would absolutely refuse to do it as I am not a sheep who blindly does what I’m told regardless of my beliefs. You’d likely think of me as ‘transphobic’ whatever that means.
However, I agree with the belief that writing a trite signature as the OP has done is unprofessional. As unprofessional as HR telling men who identify as women that they are allowed to use the women’s toilets in the workplace.

JLou08 · 18/12/2025 19:37

Horrace · 18/12/2025 18:48

Well, quite.
Ive had a promotion from said manager since suggesting people guess my pronouns.
Ive managed a career for 30 years. I'm OK thanks

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You got a promotion after laughing in your managers face whilst in trouble? Sure you did.

jeffgoldblum · 18/12/2025 19:07

MarvellousMonsters · 18/12/2025 19:00

Ridiculous things deserve to be ridiculed.

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Quite a flattering picture too! 😳

MarvellousMonsters · 18/12/2025 19:00

Holdonforsummer · 18/12/2025 18:56

There is one thing opting out of preferred pronouns, it is quite another thing to openly ridicule the idea. Shame on you and deep down you know you’re in the wrong, you just want to goad people.

Ridiculous things deserve to be ridiculed.

Just been told to remove my pronouns from my Teams profile
HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 19:00

MarvellousMonsters · 18/12/2025 18:58

What an absolute joke.

I refuse to have pronouns on any of my ID or name tags etc. The whole thing is ridiculous.

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Me too, and when I talk about theythems I still use singular language ‘they is going to the park’ to highlight the absurdity of the whole thing.

MarvellousMonsters · 18/12/2025 18:58

Horrace · 18/12/2025 10:11

I'm weak 🤣
My manager just phoned me to say there has been some serious complaints made about me that he must urgently address.
I panicked.
In the Pronouns section of my Teams profile, I have

'Take a Wild Guess'

Its been there for a few years. Its finally been noticed and I've been told to take it down because it's made someone or more than one possibly, FEARFUL of me.

What an absolute joke.

I refuse to have pronouns on any of my ID or name tags etc. The whole thing is ridiculous.

HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 18:57

Holdonforsummer · 18/12/2025 18:56

There is one thing opting out of preferred pronouns, it is quite another thing to openly ridicule the idea. Shame on you and deep down you know you’re in the wrong, you just want to goad people.

Why is it goading them, can you be precise?

TheKeatingFive · 18/12/2025 18:57

Holdonforsummer · 18/12/2025 18:56

There is one thing opting out of preferred pronouns, it is quite another thing to openly ridicule the idea. Shame on you and deep down you know you’re in the wrong, you just want to goad people.

In what sense do you think she's in the wrong?

Holdonforsummer · 18/12/2025 18:56

There is one thing opting out of preferred pronouns, it is quite another thing to openly ridicule the idea. Shame on you and deep down you know you’re in the wrong, you just want to goad people.

HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 18:55

TheKeatingFive · 18/12/2025 18:54

There are many ways to challenge things and poking fun at ridiculous concepts has long been a natural human reaction.

I don't think the OP's action is any more juvenile than grown men thinking that 'feeling like' a woman actually makes them one and we should all affirm their delusion. 🤷‍♀️

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I agree. It highlights the objective absurdity of the entire thing. If gender is a broadly accepted, inherent, natural thought system then there should be no issue with what OP wrote.

TheKeatingFive · 18/12/2025 18:55

HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 18:53

Is Catholic a sort of quasi-ethnicity?

I remember Dara O’Brien saying despite being atheist he’s still Catholic.

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His upbringing was catholic, I expect that's what he's talking about. Religion can have a very tribal lens in Ireland.

TheKeatingFive · 18/12/2025 18:54

TesChique · 18/12/2025 18:50

Challenging policies you dont agree with is...what I...said?

But maybe challenge them like a grown up and not a kid in school, then you won't get a titty lip when youre treated like a kid and get reprimanded.

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There are many ways to challenge things and poking fun at ridiculous concepts has long been a natural human reaction.

I don't think the OP's action is any more juvenile than grown men thinking that 'feeling like' a woman actually makes them one and we should all affirm their delusion. 🤷‍♀️

HoneyParsnipSoup · 18/12/2025 18:53

Millytante · 18/12/2025 18:52

Mock, you may; I really AM a Catholic atheist! 🤨

Show quote history

Is Catholic a sort of quasi-ethnicity?

I remember Dara O’Brien saying despite being atheist he’s still Catholic.

Original poster
Horrace · 18/12/2025 18:53

Cybiil · 18/12/2025 18:45

I also cannot imagine anyone doing this in a professional job. Also not laugh at their manager. Would like to know what sort of job this really is. Probably one where you don’t send many emails at least.

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What does sending emails have to do with anything 🤣.
Actually, we dont send so many emails these days. Not since Teams was introduced during lockdown.
And I laughed I disbelief because it had been there for years and all of a sudden it was so serious when no one, including my LM had noticed it before. I converse with him on Teams almost daily.

OP posts: