Just been told to remove my pronouns from my Teams profile

[Horrace]

I'm weak 🤣
My manager just phoned me to say there has been some serious complaints made about me that he must urgently address.
I panicked.
In the Pronouns section of my Teams profile, I have

'Take a Wild Guess'

Its been there for a few years. Its finally been noticed and I've been told to take it down because it's made someone or more than one possibly, FEARFUL of me.

I hope no one judges them for being flightsexual.

I have my pronouns in my email signature at work. My pronouns are not at odds with my sex. I consider it personally useful as I have a name that is commonly used for both males and females.

Was the driver of the normalisation of sharing pronouns trans-inclusion? Yes.

Does that mean it's the only reason to share pronouns or that sharing pronouns is intrinsically ideological? No.

I know because so many women are having to go to court to protect those spaces.

I know because children have been sexually assaulted by men who claim to be trans in supermarket toilets.

I know because of the number of men who come on to Mumsnet threads to tell us that they will use women's single sex spaces regardless of the fact that that they law doesn't support them.

I know because a father who posts on these threads is currently pursuing legal action against a school that allows his daughters no privacy from trans identifying boys in toilets, changing rooms and showers.

I know because I've seen men who identify as trans women in those spaces with my own eyes.

The employer is the party in the position of power and they are the ones trying to compel employees to display personal information, and what's more to do so inconsistently (by not also insisting that they display their marital status, sexuality etc.)
The onus is on them to behave professionally and not to discriminate. They would probably expect employees to push back if they WERE compelled to display other personal info, and they should expect the same for this.

Agree with this. You are belittling those that find it important to state their pronouns. There's no need for it.

I personally haven't met anyone irl who shares those views - they are absolutely bonkers.

How awful for that young man - and disgusting some are trying to make it legal.

As for 'genital fetishist', it's almost as if men and women are (mostly) naturally attracted to each other to procreate.

But this is the extremists side that you'll find in every section of society. Generally people are realistic when it comes to biological facts.

Anyone can be with whoever they want, and be referred to however they like if it's not hurting anyone in my opinion. Makes zero difference to me or my life. The examples you've given are obviously dangerous, but they are not comparable to adding pronouns on a profile if you choose to. Some people will be glad they have that option for other reasons as PPs have said.

You have single handedly stopped all trans people being trans with this. Well done.

FWIW - my name is a male name. Not as in Alexandra shortened down to Alex so people can confirm, my full name is a male’s name. I would find pronouns helpful in the context of people emailing me having no idea of my existence pre emailing me. I just find this uproar about people ‘using pronouns’ (as if we don’t use pronouns everyday, regardless of the context?) sooo bizarre, why are you all so offended?!

If that's the case, then why do they think their gender identity has any bearing on the single-sex spaces they want to access?

Thanks

OP I am a manager and I would have no issues with anyone not wanting to add pronouns to their profile/email. It should be completely optional.

However I would think that a staff member who adds something like "take a wild guess" is being unprofessional and immature and I would tell them to remove it.

I follow some detransitioners on X. Sadly, they definitely seem to feel that they have been abused by the gender ideology as teenagers.

I'm all for them living their best life but why do I need to change the way I speak? I don't believe in gender: if they do, great but leave me alone

Unfortunately it’s the radical types that tend to ruin it for everyone.

I have no issue with someone who finds it didficult to live in the world presenting as their biological sex, and who wants to dress or present themselves differently - so long as they stay out of the single sex spaces they don’t belong in.

That’s not hatred, it’s acknowledging reality.

I work somewhere that would be considered very 'woke' and I don't have my pronouns in my signature at all, because it isn't compulsory. I'd think it quite unprofessional if I saw your signature as 'take a wild guess'. It's just there to wind people up really isn't it? It's now created a pointless extra job for your boss who has to raise it with you.

Hm. What you said there sounds, with respect. much more idealogical than philosophical and I would much prefer that a discussion about' language 'and' being' and 'space ' take place than some loaded argument about males piggybacking on the territory of females. I think there is an argument to be had for creating new language and thinking in new ways because clearly people dont fit into neat categories in the way they present themselves and behave. And,yes, maybe trans people need to have a reset in their thinking. And yes i do believe in safe spaces for females. But i think some of the heat and hatred should go out of this. We need evolved thinking snd language to be able to support the ' whole" of what is going on. We're just not there yet.

I’m not in the uk but in my country bullying and harassment is illegal. You don’t get to decide that your opinion whether someone should feel threatened is the key. You’ve been told by your manager that your actions have made someone uncomfortable. Your actions aren’t defensible (no employment tribunal would accept your response). So having been instructed to take action of you continue as you are be ready to lose job.

Yes they’re enforcing inclusion and a change in language. But you don’t really have a say. Just like the men who are sacked for refusing to refer to women professionally even though they hate being forced to use new language whwn they don’t want women in the workplace as their equals. Just like you can’t be racial, or homophobic, or use ableist slurs. And your colleague is entitled to a safe workplace and you are clearly hostile towards certain communities of people. Your choice of language is a pointer to your hostility, which is reinforced by your subsequent comments.

Yes. But none of this implies anything about "most" trans people does it?

A large number of terrorist attacks in the UK have been carried out by Muslims. Does this mean there is a radical aspect to Islam that is a concern? Certainly. Does it mean "most" Muslims are terrorists? Of course not.

Childish and unprofessional.

But also fucking hilarious! I love that you've quietly had it there for years 😂

the irony 😂

What about the women who are alienated by this whole ideology?

My problem with normalising men using women's pronouns is this.

How do we maintain clear language to communicate the problems women face when men lay claim to their language and spaces?

Consider these two sentences, both describing exactly the same event ...

The man walked into the woman's changing rooms and took his clothes off in front of the woman present.

And again, exactly the same event, remember.

The woman walked into the woman's changing rooms and took her clothes off in front of the woman present.

There'll be a very different reaction to both those sentences, right? Even though they describe the same event. So which approach helps us protect women and advocate for their rights? And which makes it more difficult?

I would not chose to add mine, but I do think it can be helpful if you have an unusual name where people couldn't easily predict.

What is “woman as a state of mind”?

How are we alienated because we have the choice to put pronouns on Teams?

Women's rights to their spaces need to be upheld. Are you suggesting that because not all trans-identified men do it, it's okay or something?