Pronouns at work/being gender critical at work etc

[Leafstamp]

If you are a woman and have your pronouns in your email signature at work, can I ask why?

If you haven't given it much thought, are you open to being persuaded that, albeit in a small way, this practice of declaring pronouns is contributing to a movement that harms women, children and LGB people?

Equally, if you are already clued up on this and consider yourself a sex realist/gender critical are you able to be open about this at work and challenge instances were gender identity ideology is being unduly promoted? Do you find that others agree with you?

I work in a small company where none of this goes on, so I am curious.

I actually think it's brilliant, I work with people in other countries and it isn't always immediately clear from their name if they are male / female and so this is really helpful. I have mine in my email signature and teams.

Sorry, I think I misunderstood originally. You mean when the email has 'Mrs Joanne Bloggs' and then 'she/her' underneath?

I’m suspicious that it “really wasn’t clear” but I will take your word for it.

I wonder if she had previously been mistaken for a man, in which case she could have just put her title (Miss, Mrs, Ms) or if she was taken part in The Ritual of pronoun declaration.

I’m sure if anyone mistakenly referred to her as “he” then she could have just corrected them. A bit like if someone pronounces your name wrong.

Why do you need to know if they are male or female?

This again……

That’s generally why people use it in my workplace. There are so many different cultures that people wouldn’t necessarily know whether a specific name is traditionally male or female.

I also seem to work with a lot of people called Alex, Sam and Chris.

About 5 years ago this was strongly suggested where I work as being something we might like to do to show we were trans allies and very very few did, and none of them women

God knows why anyone would.

I have an androgenous name, and could be male or female if you didn't know - had it my whole life, usually people assume I am a man. From 30 yrs corporate working years experience, I know there is zero advantage in other people thinking you are female. And significant advantage when they think you are male, different tone much more respectful.

In my experience the people who have pronouns in their emails are almost exclusively young women. Senior women and men don't bother.

And that tells me it is part of female socialisation to be kind and I am having no part of that

@Leafstamp partly because I find it useful to have an idea of who I'm working with - it can be very offensive in some cultures to misgender them based on an assumption of their name.
I like to visualize who I am corresponding : working with, I could exchange fifteen emails with someone about a range of topics before we get a chance to catch up on a call and by then impressions of people are embedded and it would throw me to be expecting a woman and getting a man.

I think most people simply don't think about it, work provides a template and tells you to fill in the blanks and use ut as your signature. They fill in the blanks and use it, end of.

I'm contrary and refuse to play this game so deleted that section, no one's ever mentioned it and I'd hazard a guess that at least 50% of the people I email haven't even noticed.

Don’t have a problem with people adding pronouns if they want to. Annoyed when it’s obviously a company wide directive - then it seems disingenuous.

I do, because I want people to know what mine are and so that they also know I'm an ally. I'm proud to work at a very inclusive large business and it's the normal values to be open about disabilities, LGBTQ+, etc..
I also find it hilariously ironic when people say they don't use pronouns because they are demonstrating their severe lack of understanding of the English language.

I work for a local authority, lots of staff have added pronouns to their email signature. I was in a meeting with someone from HR about something unconnected but took the opportunity to ask if there was an expectation for everyone to add them, or any plans to require it in the near future. I made it 100% clear I wouldn't be doing it, she didn't argue and confirmed no one would be expected to add them.

The/Doctor. No one's noticed. Or cares.

This has been reported by others too. There’s an article on it somewhere.

I don’t and I wouldn’t if if was asked to do so. Some people at do and they receive an eye roll from me when I receive their email and go down in my estimation.

What have the 50% who have noticed done or said or is that not what you meant?!

I also really like that lots of people with tricky to pronounce names now add in a 'how to pronounce' option, and on the address book you can even add in a spoken pronunciation.
I work in a massive multi national company, and this approach has been very successful.

Oh grow up, it doesn't hurt ANYONE. 🙄

are you open to being persuaded that, albeit in a small way, this practice of declaring pronouns is contributing to a movement that harms women, children and LGB people?

Same. Eye rolls a plenty.

I work in person not email so never arose but I have to say i have a very low tolerance of this practice. I can't see why it is important if Sam or Chris is male or female, I would expect them to be treated with the same respect.

I think companies do this because they are afraid of judgment if they don't, it has little to do with supporting any community and more to do with fear of a small extreme vocal group who publicly call out companies that don't do what they want, just bullies really, alleging they are whateverphobic or non inclusive etc. If a non binary person or trans person wants to clarify then I think this too should be respected. But asking everyone to do it is wrong IMO frankly insulting to the overwhelming majority of people.

I do it to actively show that I am not a hater of trans people like so many obsessive weirdos on Mumsnet.

It's obvious I'm a woman, with a woman's name, I've never needed to state my pronouns.

Can you coherently explain how 'weirdos on Mumsnet hate trans people'. Examples, posts, anything at all will do just fine.

-Holds breath-