Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

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

I think if there is a corporate style then everyone should use that.
She might ask why the pronouns are not included though. Your friend might want to think about how they would answer that.

Good suggested @Beamur

I'll tell him to do that. If she questions the pronouns, I'll leave that to him to decide if he wants to bother continue putting up a fight.

OP posts:
Beamur · 01/07/2021 15:40

I think if there is a corporate style then everyone should use that.
She might ask why the pronouns are not included though. Your friend might want to think about how they would answer that.

Iggi999 · 01/07/2021 15:39

Being assumed to be male would be an advantage in most workplaces though.

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:39

His clients are mostly all from one strict religious community (that he also belongs to).

That's the shortest way of explaining why it's a bit of an issue for him. It would just be something that rocked the boat.

OP posts:
DadJoke · 01/07/2021 15:33

Why would being gender critical make you object to people including their pronouns in an email if they want to? Our CEO does it because she's fed up of people assuming she's a man.

Iggi999 · 01/07/2021 15:33

@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.

What's inclusive about a woman stating that she wants people to call her "her" when she isn't there?
JoanOgden · 01/07/2021 15:31

I can't see the harm in this either, as long as she doesn't pressure colleagues to do the same.

purplesequins · 01/07/2021 15:31

@SuperLoudPoppingAction

I think all new starts should have someone (office manager or administrator or whoever) show them the house style for email signatures to ensure consistency and a professional look. No need to go into the politics of it, I wouldn't have thought.
this
Orf1abc · 01/07/2021 15:30

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.

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:30

I was wondering that @SuperLoudPoppingAction

Might be best to avoid mentioning what he specifically objects to and say 'this is what we put in our signatures, no more, no less'

OP posts:
thirdfiddle · 01/07/2021 15:28

I'd write it off. Similar to wearing a crucifix or something - she's allowed to express her belief. Time enough to challenge it if she makes any steps in the direction of telling everyone else to wear crucifixes.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 01/07/2021 15:25

I think all new starts should have someone (office manager or administrator or whoever) show them the house style for email signatures to ensure consistency and a professional look.
No need to go into the politics of it, I wouldn't have thought.

Original poster
OfNobody · 01/07/2021 15:23

She's 'cis-female' she/her, if that makes any difference btw.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread