Page 2 | Just been told to remove my pronouns from my Teams profile

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:27

You don’t have to put pronouns if you don’t want to, but the sarcastic comment isn’t appropriate in a workplace and it’s understandable that some people may feel uncomfortable with that.

SoScarletItWas · 18/12/2025 10:27

whittingtonmum · 18/12/2025 10:22

I think this can be interpreted as ridiculing those who share their preferred pronouns at work. I would not call this is professional behaviour or think it's acceptable in the workplace. If I were your manager I would have asked you to take this down before complaints come in. You don't have to share your preferred pronouns if you don't wish to do so but 'take a wild guess' is not appropriate in the workplace. No doubt transphopbic mumsnetters will disagree but wonder how many of them work professionally in environments where diversity and inclusion are regarded as part of a professional business environment.

I agree. We are ‘encouraged’ to add our pronouns but it’s not mandatory and you can choose ‘not set’ from the dropdown choices.

If you use deliberately provocative language like ‘Take a wild guess’ it will be seen as dismissive of people who are genuinely trans and perhaps don’t pass clearly as their preferred pronouns, so this is important to them.

I am in the camp of ‘there is no need for pronouns to be displayed at all’ but I can see why this is antagonistic in a corporate workplace.

Tessasanderson · 18/12/2025 10:27

Whilst i dont agree with this pronouns nonsense i think its a much stronger message to refuse to do it than to belittle it. I love some of the suggestions and find them really funny but the people that do take them serious need to be shown in a serious manner that they can no longer continue spouting this claptrap

Ddakji · 18/12/2025 10:27

Ncncnca · 18/12/2025 10:23

This.

I choose not to add pronouns because people should be clear on knowing I am a woman. But whether I fully agree with pronouns or not, doesn’t mean I need to disrespect someone that does. I am quite happy with having my opinion and not making someone feel shit about theirs. Your choice to purposely mock someone that does, can actually be against your company’s bullying policy so why risk it for your satisfaction of ‘making a point’ that may be unpopular with some.

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There is no reason to respect anyone who goes along with the nonsense that it “preferred pronouns”. It’s not worthy of respect. As far as I’m concerned people who do this are the ones behaving unprofessionally and they’ve exposed themselves to ridicule and exposed their employer to ridicule. So they don’t get whine when they are ridiculed.

AgentPidge · 18/12/2025 10:27

Excellent!

I really don't understand about the pronouns thing. It's for talking about you when you're not there, such a niche thing to be concerned about. (I'd rather state my choice of biscuits, tbh, or the fact that I'm not a morning person so not to expect a conversation at 9 am.) But if you decline to state your pronouns and therefore people are 'forced' to guess, and you obviously don't care how they refer to you, why is that a problem? If you're Alex from Accounts and people can't tell if you should be she or he, they can call you "that wanker from Accounts" or "Alex" if they want to be polite, but it won't matter to you because you aren't there at the time!

HappyNewTaxYear · 18/12/2025 10:28

whittingtonmum · 18/12/2025 10:22

I think this can be interpreted as ridiculing those who share their preferred pronouns at work. I would not call this is professional behaviour or think it's acceptable in the workplace. If I were your manager I would have asked you to take this down before complaints come in. You don't have to share your preferred pronouns if you don't wish to do so but 'take a wild guess' is not appropriate in the workplace. No doubt transphopbic mumsnetters will disagree but wonder how many of them work professionally in environments where diversity and inclusion are regarded as part of a professional business environment.

What’s your skin in the game then ?

Ddakji · 18/12/2025 10:29

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ThankYouNigel · 18/12/2025 10:29

I adore your take on this 😂

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:29

Have you guys not thought that maybe Alex, Sam and Charlie may not want to be called the wrong pronouns for their cisgender identity?

Sharptonguedwoman · 18/12/2025 10:29

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:27

You don’t have to put pronouns if you don’t want to, but the sarcastic comment isn’t appropriate in a workplace and it’s understandable that some people may feel uncomfortable with that.

Not a lot of resilience going on there.

LuncheonInThePark · 18/12/2025 10:30

I'm not surprised he didn't smile. It was really unprofessional and it's his job to manage you, so complaints will fall on his lap.

I don't have pronouns on my signature because I don't feel the need to have to explain I'm a woman when you can clearly see I am, but if I saw someone writing 'take a wild guess', I'd just think they were immature and unable to separate their personal views from being professional at work.

Katiesaidthat · 18/12/2025 10:31

Horrace · 18/12/2025 10:11

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.

Love it. Take a wild guess. Epic.

MathiasBroucek · 18/12/2025 10:31

I just ignore any requests for pronouns. But I'm saving it/that in case someone tries to force the issue...

Ddakji · 18/12/2025 10:31

LuncheonInThePark · 18/12/2025 10:30

I'm not surprised he didn't smile. It was really unprofessional and it's his job to manage you, so complaints will fall on his lap.

I don't have pronouns on my signature because I don't feel the need to have to explain I'm a woman when you can clearly see I am, but if I saw someone writing 'take a wild guess', I'd just think they were immature and unable to separate their personal views from being professional at work.

Edited

Adding “preferred pronouns” is bringing the personal into work (a personal ideology which is misogynistic and homophobic) and is unprofessional.

Why have so many people swallowed this nonsense?

Chersfrozenface · 18/12/2025 10:31

@SoScarletItWas please explain the exact criteria for being "genuinely trans".

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 18/12/2025 10:32

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:29

Have you guys not thought that maybe Alex, Sam and Charlie may not want to be called the wrong pronouns for their cisgender identity?

Most won't care - just correct and move on.

In fact think there research that women with male names who get mistaken for men get more respect becuase of it.

SpicyMargarita1 · 18/12/2025 10:32

My pronouns are:
Sex-based like my oppression

AgentPidge · 18/12/2025 10:32

Horrace · 18/12/2025 10:23

Ive just left it blank.

I'm in my 50s, he is the same age as me. I laughed as he was telling me but he didn't smile once.

A professional environment has no room for humour [stern face, waggy finger].

HappyNewTaxYear · 18/12/2025 10:32

SoScarletItWas · 18/12/2025 10:27

I agree. We are ‘encouraged’ to add our pronouns but it’s not mandatory and you can choose ‘not set’ from the dropdown choices.

If you use deliberately provocative language like ‘Take a wild guess’ it will be seen as dismissive of people who are genuinely trans and perhaps don’t pass clearly as their preferred pronouns, so this is important to them.

I am in the camp of ‘there is no need for pronouns to be displayed at all’ but I can see why this is antagonistic in a corporate workplace.

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What’s antagonistic is to have fully grown middle aged men stomping about in black mini dresses and tights in the City and expecting to be treated like a special kind of woman in the workplace. It’s bloody insulting.

However I think there are fewer of them now than a couple of years ago. Maybe it was all simply too much trouble.

FjordCortina · 18/12/2025 10:33

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:29

Have you guys not thought that maybe Alex, Sam and Charlie may not want to be called the wrong pronouns for their cisgender identity?

But that's not a question of preferred pronouns . I received an email from a bloke called Wendy ( he came from somewhere in Africa) which had as the signature "Mr Wendy Name" to prevent obvious confusion.

lifeturnsonadime · 18/12/2025 10:33

This thread is proof that pronoun people have had a collective sense of humour bypass.

EnjoythemoneyJane · 18/12/2025 10:33

I’m not surprised, OP. I shat my pants just reading that.

TheNightingalesStarling · 18/12/2025 10:33

Tell him it was a protest against workplace misogyny where many unknowingly or knowingly discriminate against female employees.

PoppysAunt · 18/12/2025 10:34

I am 65. For over 40 years, married or single, my preferred title is Ms.
Very frequently, I am addressed as Miss or Mrs.
Sometimes people actually ask "is it Miss or Mrs?" and I have to clarify.
More than 40 years. I'm sure that other people can cope with some mistakes or misjudgement about their pronouns.

ThankYouNigel · 18/12/2025 10:34

justpassmethemouse · 18/12/2025 10:29

Have you guys not thought that maybe Alex, Sam and Charlie may not want to be called the wrong pronouns for their cisgender identity?

I have one of these names you are talking about- zero issues with anyone knowing I’m the female one.

If there was, I’d politely enquire is that Alexander or Alexandra I’m speaking with?