to not want to sign off my emails with preferred pronouns?

[AlphaBites]

We've had an email do the rounds today at work saying in the next few weeks all staff are expected to sign off with their preferred pronouns, to save any embarrassment for any staff.

I don't want to.

Can I fight this somehow?

I think the 'midwife' was triggered as we saw through 'her'.

Yes as I said Same with titles

But I would oppose a directive to have to use my title very strongly

So do you think students should call their teachers by their first names then?

But I would oppose a directive to have to use my title very strongly

And likewise I oppose people assuming that they can call me by my first name, unless I have invited them to do so.

A directive at work
Honestly crazy points

Because it seems like it is a need for humans when communicating with other humans.

That's how our language has evolved isn't it? We have gender specific pronouns which we use when speaking about people.

Other languages don't, it's not a 'need'.

There is a LOT of evidence that shows you get treated worse for signifying you are female. No one should be compelled to do it. Just as you wouldn't be expected to list that you have a disability, your sexuality, your religion or any other protected characteristic that generally attracts bias.

Decomposing, customers calling are always given the option to be called Mr or Mrs etc rather than a first name. I sometimes listen to call recordings and have never had one where they've taken that option though I'm sure some will. In the workplace, I guess you'd be seen as a bit of a knob for insisting on being "Mrs Smith" rather than "Jane" , and in that circumstance it levels things rather than your Dr/patient scenario. I've not been to a Dr on my own behalf for at least a decade so I've never considered that tbh.

I don't see anything wrong with pupils addressing teachers by their first names either tbh. Respect isn't only shown by using a title, it's shown by good manners etc.

I don't get why posters are insisting that formal honorifics (Mr, Mrs, Ms) have been discontinued. They haven't.
And they signify sex, not gender.

Good luck with maintaining authority in the classroom then when pupils see you as a peer.

And actually I find that it's very awkward when someone calls you on the phone and initially calls you "Mrs Composers" and then says "can I call you Decomposing"? As you say, it makes you seem like a bit of a knob if you say no. The invitation should come from me if I am ok with you addressing me informally.

Other languages don't, it's not a 'need'.

But our language does. So how do you refer to a person who isn't present? Do you always use gender neutral pronouns if you don't agree with signifying sex?

And they signify sex, not gender.

I agree. But if you identify as transgender wouldn't you use the honorific associated with the sex you identify as?

Why would I, if I were a trans man, continue to use Miss or Mrs? Wouldn't I use Mr instead?

@DecomposingComposers - So do you think students should call their teachers by their first names then?

My kids went to a primary school where all the teachers were called by their first names. It was a lovely school. The kids treated the teachers with the exact same level of respect as those in schools using titles.

It was a big shock to them going to a secondary where titles were the norm. They got used to it though. I would have preferred a secondary that used first names but the nearest one that does is too far away.

@WaxOnFeckOff I have a slight preference for being called Ms Manara by a stranger, rather than Jenny. But not once have I said that. Because the script sets Jenny up as the default. So I think you would have to have very strong feelings around the matter to insist on Ms Manara. If they asked me what I preferred to be called, that is more neutral question. But it is a slight preference, not something I am going to have a fight over.

Composing you seem to confuse titles being used as conferring automatic respect and seniority. With respect, that is bollocks. Pupils won't see a teacher as a peer just because they use their first name.

If you really don't want to include gender specific pronouns what is wrong with you/they/them?

If you think you won't be judged at least or discriminated against at worst for putting that on an email sign off, you don't understand what most people think of all of this stuff.

I think it goes something like, data protection is completed and call handler says "thank you for that Mr Smith or would you like me to call you David?" Generally people will then say, "David will be fine" or whatever.

my anatomy is not what defines my womanhood

This seems to be a point of confusion for many.

We all have personhood.

Womanhood = Personhood: Female Body Edition.
Manhood = Personhood: Male Body Edition.

Your anatomy determines whether your personhood is womanhood or manhood.

(The word hood is ceasing to have meaning for me now; I've typed it too many times.)

I mean how do you think Nigel Farage would judge all of this personal pronouns stuff? And then remember in recent EU elections a third of people voted for him and his party.
I do think woke people are majorly out of touch with the majority of people in this country. They live in a little bubble where this kind of stuff seems common sense, and then seem surprised when people outside their little bubble don't agree.
Okay on here the push back is from feminists. But I have worked in lots of workplaces where if I tried to introduce this, there would have been major push back from lots of people who would have thought it was a load of bollocks.

@WaxOnFeckOff Okay that is different from any phone calls I have made. It is generally - Jenny, is it okay if I call you Jenny? So I say yes. Because although it is not my preference, I don't care enough to make a fuss.

So how do you refer to a person who isn't present? Do you always use gender neutral pronouns if you don't agree with signifying sex?

I say he or she (or whatever that person prefers). I just see no need to have to signify MY sex when there is strong evidence that will disadvantage me in the work place. Why would you want me to?

Our company customer demographic is generally at the older age range (as am i) so maybe that makes a difference to what script they've introduced? I generally personally don't call very often to companies, I tend to prefer chat or email.

I have found more and more places don't let you email.

I agree with jenny. The intolerant left are woefully out of touch with the man on the street. My workplace is majority male, majority working class to lower middle. The response to this would be WHAT A LOAD OF SHIT AINT DOING THAT

I say he or she (or whatever that person prefers).

But how do you know what they prefer, unless they say? Which is presumably what this is about? Giving people the opportunity to express how they want to be referred to?

“Good luck with maintaining authority in the classroom then when pupils see you as a peer.“

This has been the norm for many schools for decades. Quaker schools, such as Leighton Park, for example. They certainly don’t seem to have any problems.