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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Pronouns in my email signature

213 replies

GinTonic · 08/02/2020 08:35

I've been asked to state my personal pronouns in my work email signature. Grateful for any advice on how to deal with this? It's being presented as optional but I feel it's discriminatory as it's putting me under pressure to reveal my personal views on subjects which up to now I have not shared in the workplace. Thanks all.

OP posts:
whyamidoingthis · 11/02/2020 10:28

I think everything depends on how vigilant variant pronoun-users are, how pompous they plan to be about mistakes and how organisations enforce sanctions against those who offend, accidentally or intentionally.

I think the more vigilant and pompous the better. Once it starts becoming costly in terms of time, money and staff morale, the quicker it will die a death.

Lordfrontpaw · 11/02/2020 10:12

What's in a name?

I present this without comment: www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202000011201/ (please have any prescribed blood pressure medication necessary to hand)

NearlyGranny · 11/02/2020 10:02

Oops, posted too soon - fat finger syndrome!

I think everything depends on how vigilant variant pronoun-users are, how pompous they plan to be about mistakes and how organisations enforce sanctions against those who offend, accidentally or intentionally.

This is all going to get very old very quickly and I dread to think what it will cost business.

NearlyGranny · 11/02/2020 09:57

whyamidoingthis is right; individuals insisting on their own special pronouns are, whether intentionally or not, setting up a multitude of traps for the feet of others.

The ultimate, litigious example is JY who is making a life, even a living, from setting up situations where she can pose as the victim and express synthetic outrage before going to law.

She is an extreme, but even the workplace pronoun-enforcers, backed by compliant organisations and authorities, could easily spend substantial chunks of their working day combing emails and reading documents to find outdated or accidental mis-namings to complain about.

No doubt many, even most, will simply shrug and carry on, just like whyamidoingthis and I do. My given name is one of those variants with two pronunciations and two spellings - think Caroline and Carolyn - and my parents in their questionable wisdom, pronounced my name one way and spelt it the other. People who know me from email mispronounced my name on the whenever they speak to me and people who know me face to face misspell my name when they write it.

I have never been cross or indignant or affronted or

whyamidoingthis · 10/02/2020 21:51

If people had their preferred pronouns on their email sign-offs there'd be no pressure or anxiety, and no faux pas, because you'd know how to refer to them.

Given the number of people who can't be bothered to spell my name correctly, despite it being at the bottom of my emails, I very much doubt it would help.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 10/02/2020 20:32

I can well imagine stumbling into a situation where I referred to someone via email as (e.g.) 'she will be in touch as soon as the process is complete' and then 'she' getting upset/pissed off because their preferred pronoun was 'he'.

That person would need to grow the fuck up then.

FannyCann · 10/02/2020 20:14

*on reflection

FannyCann · 10/02/2020 20:13

*Please can you watch your tone? And not jump to conclusions?

I'm not talking about me.*

Apologies for using "you" when I should have said "one". I meant it in a more general sense rather than you personally.

In reflection maybe one should just use "one" instead of pronouns for the avoidance of offence to those (who must be obeyed).

R0wantrees · 10/02/2020 18:54

If people had their preferred pronouns on their email sign-offs there'd be no pressure or anxiety, and no faux pas, because you'd know how to refer to them.

I can imagine quite a lot of pressure & anxiety as well as the risk of faux pas if one has to trawl through people's emails to double check their current choice of pronoun when referring to them elsewhere.

Primarily due to the significant & growing amount of additional time required.

IntermittentParps · 10/02/2020 18:37

Why would you be so controlling? You might as well demand people curtesy when they meet you.

Please can you watch your tone? And not jump to conclusions?

I'm not talking about me. I don't have and am not about to get my pronouns on my email sign-off; I'm not 'controlling' anything. I'm approaching it from the other way round.

I can well imagine stumbling into a situation where I referred to someone via email as (e.g.) 'she will be in touch as soon as the process is complete' and then 'she' getting upset/pissed off because their preferred pronoun was 'he'.
If people had their preferred pronouns on their email sign-offs there'd be no pressure or anxiety, and no faux pas, because you'd know how to refer to them.

FannyCann · 10/02/2020 18:27

*actioned
Though a ruined is likely to be appropriate, and make just as much sense.

FannyCann · 10/02/2020 18:25

I don’t believe it is my place to instruct you on what pronouns to use about me
I see it the other way round, I think: I believe people should have the opportunity to state which pronouns they would like others to use about them.

But why? Why would you be so controlling? You might as well demand people curtesy when they meet you.

Looks like the way to go will be bla bla they (who must be obeyed) , and the committee approved so Xhie (who must be obeyed) said it would be a ruined asap.

(WMBO) after every compelled pronoun.
Or is there a curtesy/salute emoji?

AutumnRose1 · 10/02/2020 17:49

Buzz, in my case it would be trousers.

Maybe I'll do that tomorrow for the lolz.

Such good ideas - what about a lanyard with alternating - ENOUGH ALREADY - EYE ROLL EMOJI - MAKE IT STOP - EYE ROLL ...etc.

BuzzShitbagBobbly · 10/02/2020 17:29

Yellow eye roll emoji on a computer-screen blue lanyard, anyone?

Blue lanyard? BLUE?
Do you want everyone to assume we identify as men by using such a hyper masculine colour? you may as well stuff a sock down your skirt!

HDDD · 10/02/2020 15:50

I think I would choose He/ Him and ask for a pay rise.

THIS!

AutumnRose1 · 10/02/2020 15:43

"Is there a lanyard specifically for people caught up in the slipstream of a passing purity spiral and desperate to escape?"

this made me LOL so hard. Maybe we just need one with the words MAKE IT STOP repeated on a loop all the way round?

Lordfrontpaw · 10/02/2020 15:38

There are loads of places that do them (I’ve made some up for work). Can mine be pretty pink please?

NearlyGranny · 10/02/2020 15:26

Yes, there is indeed a company that does bespoke lanyards! They will do artwork or use customers' designs. Yellow eye roll emoji on a computer-screen blue lanyard, anyone?

NearlyGranny · 10/02/2020 15:20

I too would go bananas for an eye roll lanyard! Off to research...

Lordfrontpaw · 10/02/2020 14:26

You do know that you can get lanyards printed up with annnnything you want?

Beamur · 10/02/2020 14:14

I want an eyeroll lanyard.

EverardDigby · 10/02/2020 14:14

Seems they’re only autism friendly when you’re not doing anything visibly autistic.

Angry

We like you to be diverse, but not too diverse or diverse in the wrong way.

wrongsideofhistorymyarse · 10/02/2020 14:11

Is there a lanyard specifically for people caught up in the slipstream of a passing purity spiral and desperate to escape?

We need any eyeroll lanyard.

TirisfalPumpkin · 10/02/2020 14:01

Good to hear from other autistics who can’t do this.

I work for a supposedly NAS Autism Friendly accredited organisation and they’re also woke af and regularly circulate content on the importance of respecting pronouns. Seems they’re only autism friendly when you’re not doing anything visibly autistic.

maidenover · 10/02/2020 13:45

I think I would choose He/ Him and ask for a pay rise.

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