Pronouns

[idontlikealdi]

I know this has been done to death on the feminism boards, but it's always been something I've read about and not encountered.

I the last few weeks I have had a slew of people on LinkedIn / clients / colleagues add pronouns to their sign off.

I work in a global capacity, no one not in the UK is doing this. I don't care what you identify as as long as you complete the job. Of the very few people who don't identify as they present, just tell me once and we're sorted.

I'm getting RAGE. It's fucking ridiculous. I'm thinking of adding giraffe / goat / duck to mine.

YABU - everyone should do it
YANBU - it's virtue signalling wokeness, at best.

@CoffeeCakey from my perspective I really don’t think my email signature has that effect on someone. I actually think it’s ridiculous that young ppl feel the need to label themselves so much. I’m signifying my support to the small number of trans ppl out there. However, how ppl interpret my signature will depend on their own perspective.

they don’t get to choose what pronouns I use for them

They can tell you their preferred pronouns. If you decide to use different ones and upset them that's up to you.

@KaleSlayer

It doesn't really stop people doing their job. It's just two words on the end of an email signature. They could even do it in their lunch break so as not to use up previous company time.

It’s irrelevant. I can tell their sex, I will use sex pronouns so I don’t need to know if they ‘choose’ others...they don’t get to choose what pronouns I use for them. And they do talk about it, I’ve been asked a few times at the start or end of a meeting why I haven't put my pronouns on. 🤪 So yeah, they need to get on with their fucking job.

So if they refer to you as him or he, that will be fine, right? Because you don’t get to choose what pronouns they use to refer to you by?

Wow, err, this thread is rather intolerant.

How can you tell someone's sex by looking at them? Some women are masculine, some males are feminine. So by the rationale on this thread, a female sex person, named say Kim, who had male presentation, would be called he, despite being a she, no matter how much she protested to being a woman. Bizarre.

I understood gender to be a protected characteristic, but now you are saying it doesn't exist. Bizarre.

YABU for putting this in AIBU.

I'm currently in the process of raising a complaint against my university (I'm a PhD student and part time lecturer) for compelling me to stage my pronouns.

Gender was invented quite recently, an import from German. Means category. Sex is the protected characteristic. Mammals are really good at discerning sex.

YANBU

LinkedIn is showcasing adding pronouns at the moment as a way of 'making your profile better' which is why you are maybe seeing it more and more. It's a no from me

Wow, err, this thread is rather intolerant.

Par for the course on MN really.

I used to have pronouns in my bio when I worked abroad with a foreign (to them) name. I found it useful personally. When the option comes up to add them on IG then I'll probably stick them in. If it pisses off a few people so much the better.

Whoops - didn't have pronouns in the bio, they were in my email signature! I was thinking about Instagram and when that option might come up when I typed.

@SionnachRua

Wow, err, this thread is rather intolerant.

Par for the course on MN really.

I used to have pronouns in my bio when I worked abroad with a foreign (to them) name. I found it useful personally. When the option comes up to add them on IG then I'll probably stick them in. If it pisses off a few people so much the better.

It is on IG. I got asked in a group chat on there why I hadn't added mine.

It is on IG. I got asked in a group chat on there why I hadn't added mine.

Hasn't come up as an option for me yet. I think they might be rolling it out in stages as they do with some updates.

Throckmorton

That said, I would like mental health issues and disabilities to be normalized, so I assume you'd be fine with stating any mental health issues and disabilities you have (or lack of them) in your email signature, as that will help those of us with mental health issues. Thanks in advance

That seems sensible. I'll start doing that.

Phyllis. (Miss)
She-Ra/My precious.
Fat. Blonde. Shoe size 5.
Depression/anxiety/agoraphobia/CPTSD/dodgy hips
CSA survivor.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍

Is that enough useless info?

I love being able to pick my own pronouns. It allows me to present as male via email and on letters etc, and people treat me with significantly more respect. As pp said, I also use a neutral title to conceal my sex. Far from being offended - I purposely want people to think I’m a man.

@Donitta

I love being able to pick my own pronouns. It allows me to present as male via email and on letters etc, and people treat me with significantly more respect. As pp said, I also use a neutral title to conceal my sex. Far from being offended - I purposely want people to think I’m a man.

Jesus I feel I've just been transported back to the 19th or 20th century, when women were using pen names to disguise their sex. So much for progress.

So if they refer to you as him or he, that will be fine, right? Because you don’t get to choose what pronouns they use to refer to you by?

Pronouns should be sex based like they always have been. So if they choose to call me something else, they’ll be wrong because I’m a biologically female so she/her are correct. Biology matters.

@chickenyhead

Wow, err, this thread is rather intolerant.

How can you tell someone's sex by looking at them? Some women are masculine, some males are feminine. So by the rationale on this thread, a female sex person, named say Kim, who had male presentation, would be called he, despite being a she, no matter how much she protested to being a woman. Bizarre.

I understood gender to be a protected characteristic, but now you are saying it doesn't exist. Bizarre.

9 times out of 10 I can tell someones sex using the power of sight. Not bizarre but completely and utterly normal.

As a female who is masculine in appearance, I can guarantee to you that mammals are not inherently gifted at discerning sex through some woohoo instinct at all.

You all bang on about stereotypes not being appropriate, yet then state that you will decide which pronouns to use. Based on what exactly? What evidence would need to be provided to get people to use the correct pronouns?

How can you tell someone's sex by looking at them?

Oh come on

Jesus I feel I've just been transported back to the 19th or 20th century, when women were using pen names to disguise their sex. So much for progress.
Sad innit? My job involves manufacturing and male customers tend to scoff when I explain something technical. Then a man explains the same thing and they’re like “ohhh right, I get it now”! They’re much more likely to listen if they think I’m a man.

Oh come on

Oh right, so stereotypes are necessary? Or I could carry around a photo of my genitals for you people.

No thanks.

A ‘masculine’ female still doesn’t look like a man. Because they’re a woman. Not a man. You can tell. Sorry if that’s not what you want to hear. 🤷🏻‍♀️

That's not my lived experience. But I'm sure YOU know best.