Just been told to remove my pronouns from my Teams profile

But OP was never forced to include her pronouns, she had the option to do so and rather than leave it blank (which I agree she should have done if she objected to the whole idea), she's written something which she admits is deliberately designed to mock the whole thing.

So it's like instead of just not participating in the cakes or whatever she turned up and said "god is a lie!".

And I think the comparison with religion isn't perfect, as using pronouns is a day-to-day part of our language and communication, and is relevant (as I've given numerous examples of through this thread) way beyond trans-inclusion. So it's not something that's peripheral to work, it's an everyday part of workplace communication.

Apparently wearing a skirt and having a female name.
Sorry Alex with the shirt hair and trousers, who is most definitely a woman..... You're not presenting as a woman I'm afraid...

Back to the clownfish...

didn't you just assume their gender?

Literal Violence.

So what? We're allowed to take the piss if we like.

I hope so. I'm just thinking through why people would be so fearful of something so petty.

I wish people would be more respectful to OP.

He clearly has a point and no one should have to present their pronouns if they don’t want to.

So what? We're allowed to take the piss if we like.

So, people are offended...so what? Let them be offend...

If they're allowed to be offended by me saying "alligator/crocodile" the. I can be offended by them saying "they/them"

And we're both offended...

So what?

What does a female dress like?

What does a female look like?

Trouble is - this particular belief system (which is not quite a religion) includes the belief that everyone should be asked to announce their pronouns to other people at work, even if they are not forced to respond. So to take the piss out of the request-to-announce is to take the piss out of the belief system itself.

Oh, so the only thing that made them "present as a woman" was having a female name?

So, women can't be called James?

This is why people use Jedi!

This isn’t quite the same though - mostly the celebrations will be “on the side” - an email , an opportunity to share some time over cakes or something that isn’t forced upon anyone

it’s more like celebrating Christmas at work - insisting that everyone takes a glass of sherry and raises a toast to Jesus - forced participation

still think op should have left it blank

We mark major religious celebrations in our workplace - as well as Christmas and Easter, we will normally have some recognition of e.g. Eid, Hanukkah. If an atheist member of staff started making comments about “sky pixies” in response then you can bet HR would have something to say about it!

That's very interesting, because yesterday you called this person "he" and "their".

Ok. So the answer to "what do you mean by presenting as a woman" has gone from "I think you know" to "Really?" to "female name" to "just thought he was a woman".

That's interesting language to use, too, in the circumstances; I'd never say "presenting as a woman" about someone who I actually thought was a woman. It's like saying a dog presents as a dog, and not being able to say what you mean by that.

Still, of course you're allowed to have this person be a woman "to you". He still objectively is not.

I would never be rude at work about about other people's religion or lack of religion but if my workplace asked me to state my own religion on my Teams profile then I would be very tempted to take the piss. I might make something up which is not a religion, and does not take the piss out of anyone else's religion, but which does takes the piss out of the expectation that employees should announce their religious beliefs (or lack of same).

Which is what (I think) the OP did.

Yes I sit next to her at work and I would not be able to tell that she was born a man had I not been told. Many of our colleagues do not know either. Her voice is fully female like mine. I don’t know anymore details I’m afraid, but to me this person is a woman.

People don't think you are born a man because of a zillion physiological cues. So after you met him in person, you still had no idea at all that he was born male? He reversed all those cues? He must have done something.

You said he was "presenting as a woman". What does that mean?

I’m not sure people are being asked to display their religion at work are they?
im sure there are rules about that.

There are so many humourless individuals floating around the workplace these days, that you got away with it this long is surprising tbh.

Easiest thing is to say nothing and just do it, and have no pronouns at all. At the end of the day it's not just about humour, it's about not hurting anyone's very fragile feelings and really being basically polite.

I just don't engage with any of this stuff as regardless of what you do or say someone's going to take offence.

I have answered the question. My colleague on same team as me is called Carina. I had no reason to think she was born a man, just like people don’t think I am born a man when they meet me. I don’t understand why this answer is not good enough for you.

Except that nobody is asking anybody to announce their religion. In most workplaces not affiliated to religion, signing off an email with “Yours in Christ” would be considered deeply inappropriate.

That doesn't answer the question. Is it physiological characteristics, mannerisms etc? If so, which ones?

No, you haven't answered any questions ("Really?" "I'm sure you know" aren't answers), but despite there being several other people in the conversation, you appear to want to focus solely on attacking me rather than explaining to us all what you meant by "presenting as a woman", if you didn't mean performative femininity.

You're just using me as a means of deflection.

I have answered questions and I don’t feel like I need to explain myself to you. I don’t like your way or debating at all. It’s very aggressive and you make a lot of assumptions about posters which don’t fully share your viewpoint. A bit boring so I am off now. I am sure you will see that as having “won” but actually no you are just putting people off listening to your points with your tone. Think about it as presumably you would like to be able to convince people as you feel very strongly about this clearly.