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 would like to go with mademoiselle, se vou plait.

*As for the OP, the way to respond is in their own language:

I find that a very triggering request and it makes me feel very unsafe at work.

And repeat*

Excellent plan!

Why is this a problem for you?

Do you not know what pronouns you want people to use for you

I quite often have no idea what sex people are from emails, especially if they have names like "Chris" "Sam" "Alex"

I can't imagine being so uptight I would choose this as a personal battle with my employer.

In your position I would be very tempted to add a footer to your email that states that you do not identify with any internal sense of gender stereotype and therefore are genderfree, and that your pronouns are based on your biological sex.
Or:
FirstName Lastname (Lord/her Lordship)
Company Name

It would be a cold day in hell before I complied with the woke stasi on this. It's a nonsense. It would make me uncomfortable, and since the feelz are all that count now, surely that's enough to put and end to it?

”Because it in turn makes many women uncomfortable! Why should they endure thst discomfort?!”

Yes - wouldn’t it be lovely if any consideration was given to women’s discomfort, @GreatOne!

Explain to them that you’re genderfree, and that you find listing your pronouns to be triggering....

Genderfree thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3549710-Update-identifying-as-non-binary-for-work-award

So, Ms wouldn't work anymore?

@Craftycorvid....
“As long as the person confused is not a gynaecologist “ ..
Brilliant - rofl 🤣 here !!
Thanks ... I needed a laugh tonight..funniest quote I’ve seen on here in a long time 😂🤣

I like to feel that I am equal and therefore don’t require to state any sex.

The first (only) time I saw an email like this, 'she / her' I thought 'but that doesn't tell me whether to address you as Miss, Mrs, Ms, Dr or Countess, does it? Which is what I'd actually find it useful to know, if I was adding the person to a mailing list.

Go for 'Ma'am, Her Ladyship' perhaps?

Genderfree does sound like a good solution

And so it always appears - why can't we just be kind?

Because some things in life are more serious than the misguided attempt to signal kindness to a particular group. Such as respect under the law for ALL people not to be compelled to use words decided upon by a small minority.

Language evolves all the time. If our society is really reaching a point where a biological man, who now identifies as a woman, is clearly to be called xi or xer, then it will fall into place naturally. If it has to be compelled by law, or as is presently by the unspoken threat of the accusation of transphobia, we should be asking ourselves why.

We received the same instruction about two years ago. I ignored it, not because I care but because I couldn't be bothered to change it, no one has ever said anything. I don't think they will.

I work for a uni and we do this. Doesn’t bother me and it does seem to be welcomed from young students, especially international students.

In my experience it confuses international students, who often come from countries where gender identity is not a thing, and who already have enough on their plates trying to navigate a foreign culture without having to worry about an additional possible faux pas. The other thing is that many of us who work in universities teach hundreds of students a year. It is hard enough to remember names. How are we also supposed to also know everyone's preferred pronouns?

I can't imagine being so uptight I would choose this as a personal battle with my employer.

How ridiculous to not be able to expend that tiny amount of effort to make someone else comfortable.

You would never get this sort of argument on a male dominated forum. It wouldn't register as a battle to just express one's own belief that someone else is wrong.

This is all new to me, I wonder if it’s picking up in my old industry

DonQuixote what you said interested me, why do you say it doesn’t help with gender dysphoria? Just curious

I like the gender free argument.

But, honestly, I work in a non woke but quite racially diverse city. Lots of people add their title (Ms or Mr) before or after their name because the sex is not always clear. That title always agrees with their sex though!

Putting to one side the question of whether staying pronouns is necessary at all, if you are going to do it why do you have to say she AND her, they AND them, he AND him etc? Do people mix and match- John Brown she/him, James Jones he/them?

If there is no mixing and matching going on could you not just say “he” and assume that everyone knows enough English to realise that him goes with he etc.

Funny story- my relative was at a meeting of Extinction Rebellion activists and everyone went round introducing themselves as “Hi, I’m Jane she/her” “I’m Steve he/him”. Relative was not prepared for this at all and for the first few thought that they shared the same unusual surname.

I can’t imagine being so uptight that I’d need to get pissy with people over pronouns.
We’re all different. Let us be so. Why make people buy into genderist preoccupations if they don’t feel the need?

What bothers me the most about this, is in email and face to face you don't tend to use pronouns so it's really policing how you refer to someone when they're not even present.

I can't imagine being so uptight I would choose this as a personal battle with my employer

Conversely, I can't imagine giving a shiny fuck about what pronouns people use for me with my androgynous name. I might care if they were badmouthing me or gossiping, but assuming I'm male when I'm not? Who fucking cares?

I don’t understand the point of this. I saw this on somebody’s email the other day and I was totally confused at the point.

Jeff Slate (he / him). But your name is Jeff? I assume you are a man anyway?!

My name is Bella (NRN) it’s quite clear I’m female?

I agree, isn’t it more logical to just put Mr Jeff Slate.

@BringOnTheScience
There's no need to state gender pronouns.
Or state if your a xx-female or sign off an email identifying yourself as homosexual or anything else.
No one (including trans people) needs to identify themselves via an email sign off. That action itself is 'othering' them.

A trans-woman (xy male) was in the female changing room in primark last week.
I couldn't really care less, as a 30 year old female, if a teen xy-male is in the changing area, as they're private curtained off bays.
Surely that teen just wants to try on a top/jeans and blend into life, the same way the rest of us were going about our day. Why should they as a trans person be forced to identify publically, their 'trans'-ness. Millions of females before them didnt. And surely they want to live as women, who historically haven't outted themselves as women...just existed as women. Without stupid fking pronoun emails.
I don't agree with any of this and i dont think it even helps the people it professes to try to help.
If they want to exist in their chosen life...let them. Whilst leaving the rest of us alone.

Love this:
“*As for the OP, the way to respond is in their own language:

I find that a very triggering request and it makes me feel very unsafe at work.

And repeat*”

*They/their on a Tuesday

She/her in any month of 30 days

Him/ his if I’m getting paid more than you*

I love this.