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Original poster

Employee using pronouns. Help!

363 replies

OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:20

Hi all,

A friend of mine has just taken on a new recruit and he's just realised that she uses pronouns after her name on her email signature.

He'd love for her not to do that because he's GC himself (and has a very traditional client base) but can he ask her to stop? Is that in itself discrimination?

Would love to advise him but generally, all the work issues I see around this run in the opposite direction (employers asking employees for pronouns).

Any experience of this, or any insight into how he can politely request that she drop the pronouns without ending up on the front cover of The Guardian?

From what he said, she doesn't sound like a massive raging handmaiden. She's just fresh out of uni and obviously thinks this is the way to go.

OP posts:
Albien · 01/07/2021 16:17

You wouldn’t want to work somewhere where you were compelled to add pronouns so the opposite - being compelled to remove them - is just as bad.
You have the right to hold whatever beliefs you want but you do not have the right to express them at work. My boss wouldn’t allow me to put a picture of Jesus in my email signature and he wouldn’t allow me to put pronouns either. It’s the same thing.

toffeebutterpopcorn · 01/07/2021 16:17

Good point. Even on my roughest days I can’t be mistaken for a man. So why point out the bleeding obvious?

2bazookas · 01/07/2021 16:17

He could just say to her " In my company, it's not our policy to mention pronouns, so please don't do that in business or work emails.".

Etorih · 01/07/2021 16:17

Stop creating issues where they don't exist. The employee is just as entitled to her inclusive views, as her boss is to his less inclusive views.

Not by pushing their views through someone else's company they can't. They're paid to do a job. That's it.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 01/07/2021 16:15

@StMarysKettle

Nobody is using the word cis to replace the word woman
They're using it to qualify it though when that isn't needed for people to understand the word accurately.

Woman and trans woman. Totally understandable terms with no ambiguity. Why does woman need a word in front of it when describing an adult female?

MrsEricBana · 01/07/2021 16:15

I can't really see how this matters or that anyone would notice or think anything of it. Perhaps he should focus on the bigger picture.

StMarysKettle · 01/07/2021 16:11

Nobody is using the word cis to replace the word woman

RealHousewifeofBarnardCastle · 01/07/2021 16:11

Agree that pronouns on emails are bullshit Stonewall propaganda

Also, cis is a made up word which TRAS are using to attempt to replace the word “woman” - which is an adult human female

Albien · 01/07/2021 16:10

But you can’t force everyone else to be gender critical
No, but I can decide how my company presents itself, and by extension how employees behave whilst engaged in their paid duties. I would object to someone putting pronouns in their email signature just the same as I’d object to them putting any other belief in there. Work emails are not the place for you to display your own personal beliefs.

StMarysKettle · 01/07/2021 16:04

She really isn't harming anyone by doing this and people saying she will harm the business by doing it have absolutely no basis for saying it. Just an automatic kick back against anything that threatens your world view isn't it

TedMullins · 01/07/2021 16:03

@Albien

Why would being gender critical make you object to people including their pronouns in an email if they want to? Because it makes you and your company look like woke twats and creates a bad impression for customers. I think it’s sufficient to say this is the company email footer, please refrain from adding any extras.
But you can’t force everyone else to be gender critical. You wouldn’t want to work somewhere where you were compelled to add pronouns so the opposite - being compelled to remove them - is just as bad.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 01/07/2021 15:59

@MotherOffCod

“ Pronouns in email signatures are unprofessional, politically motivated and inappropriate “

This statement is completely out of step with the real world of work right now.

It seems very wrong to see so many posters actively encouraging bias against anyone using a pronoun in their email sig.

It’s a thing, and lots and lots of companies and individuals are happy with it, and welcome it.

Get over it, or go complain about it on the sex and gender board (at time of posting this thread is in feminism chat).

I'm a manager and I'd say that to anyone in my team who did this. And don't tell me which bit of feminism I can post in.
Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:58

Great suggestions everyone. This is really useful.

I knew I could count on MN Grin

OP posts:
MotherOffCod · 01/07/2021 15:58

“ Pronouns in email signatures are unprofessional, politically motivated and inappropriate “

This statement is completely out of step with the real world of work right now.

It seems very wrong to see so many posters actively encouraging bias against anyone using a pronoun in their email sig.

It’s a thing, and lots and lots of companies and individuals are happy with it, and welcome it.

Get over it, or go complain about it on the sex and gender board (at time of posting this thread is in feminism chat).

Albien · 01/07/2021 15:57

Why would being gender critical make you object to people including their pronouns in an email if they want to?
Because it makes you and your company look like woke twats and creates a bad impression for customers. I think it’s sufficient to say this is the company email footer, please refrain from adding any extras.

Aquamarine1029 · 01/07/2021 15:56

He should show her how he wants all emails to read and if she doesn't comply or kicks up a fuss he can let her go. She's still under probation, correct?

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:51

I've already explained @Markesmithh

It would negatively affect his business. That's a good reason to ask an employee to stop doing something.

Feelings don't pay the bills.

And btw, he is nice actually.

OP posts:
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 01/07/2021 15:51

@Markesmithh

He doesn't sound very nice. Why does he care so much?
Pronouns in email signatures are unprofessional, politically motivated and inappropriate.
CovidCorvid · 01/07/2021 15:50

@Orf1abc

Why would he have a problem with this? What harm does it do to anyone?

Stop creating issues where they don't exist. The employee is just as entitled to her inclusive views, as her boss is to his less inclusive views.

Could quite easily be damaging for the company. With a "traditional" client base quite a lot of clients are likely to think what a stupid numpty and may well think if that's the sort of employee who represents the company they will take their business elsewhere.

I think the official company email signature policy is the way forward, don't signal the pronouns out as an issue. Just say anything other than the status quo is to be removed.

Markesmithh · 01/07/2021 15:49

He doesn't sound very nice. Why does he care so much?

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:49

I think so @Marguerite2000

Thats my understanding of it. It's bizarre though because if you did add unicorns, football teams and comic sans as others have pointed out, you'd be well within your rights to ask them to remove those things.

OP posts:
toffeebutterpopcorn · 01/07/2021 15:47

One of my lovely jobs is to police the comma that goes out. Woe betide anyone who messes with the email footers (let alone company social media).

I wouldn’t let people add bits on, just as I wouldn’t let them add on their football team or dietary requirements (or use pink comic sans...)

Marguerite2000 · 01/07/2021 15:47

I would guess he could ask her not to add her pronouns, but I don't think he could enforce it. Isn't that the current state of play when the situation is reversed? No one can be coerced either way.

Ulna · 01/07/2021 15:44

The issue with this is that it will reflect badly on your company and all of your customers will think you're absolute twats.

Agree with PP: she should be given an email template and told to stick to it, and not to add emojis, rainbows, fluffy unicorns or pictures of her chihuahua.

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:42

*suggestion

OP posts:
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