Pronouns in my email signature

[GinTonic]

I've been asked to state my personal pronouns in my work email signature. Grateful for any advice on how to deal with this? It's being presented as optional but I feel it's discriminatory as it's putting me under pressure to reveal my personal views on subjects which up to now I have not shared in the workplace. Thanks all.

“Sex based like my oppression” I have said (with a huge grin) when asked

For this I would probably ignore & if pushed say that I am uncomfortable insisting on how others use language

I'm going to say my preferred pronoun is "cunt";that will go down well...

So how would that work?

“So Mary is going to lead that project, so that (?) c will be the signator. Please make sure that you get (the) c’s signature on all the project plans?” Sounds like a normal exchange in my office to be honest.

Since people will be addressing you directly in their emails, may I suggest you respond to the request with, You, your, yours?

If your line manager asks you in person to update your personal pronouns - look offended, say "are you saying I look like a man!", and run off out the office. When you return ask if your department has a HR contact.

I was asked to declare my pronouns in an introductory circle. I said that gender was an oppressive construct that I didn’t identify into, but I was comfortable if people referred to me using my sex-based pronouns.
There were two of us out of 20 that made some sort of statement. Everyone else (no trans people present) introduced their sex based pronouns with no trace of irony. Glorious waste of time. No shit, Sherlock.

I frequently deal with trans individuals in my job. There are literally no surprises. I am not blind, nor deaf. And I’m still not having you sharing a bedroom with a woman just because you ticked the F box on the form and have she/her/hers in your signature block, love.

I would want to say 'are you trying to fuck with my head right now?'

..and 'should I be experiencing cognitivr dissonance'

I also loved the, 'you calling me a man' . ....follow up with request for hr consult.

Has an equalities impact assessment been carried out to ensure that this change won't disadvantage any of the groups with protected characteristics in the Equality Act, e.g. people with autism, women.

Came on to say this.

I have a gender neutral name and like that it’s ambiguous what sex I am when dealing with people over email. Sadly it does make a difference.

I’d just ignore the request tbh, and if I got any push back I’d ask them why and if this was forming part of a new policy, and if so where could I find it?

I think a former FWR poster has mentioned it's potentially a breach of GDPR to make people state their gender.
You could be 'outing' someone as trans who isn't ready to come out.

I hope she doesn't mind if I C&P her post:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3632606-Your-pronouns

Would pronouns count as "sensitive data" under GDPR? And would it therefore be fine to volunteer them and not for employers to require them, especially to require them to be advertised in communications?

One transactivist has certainly worried about this before!

twitter.com/miss_s_b/status/976379005921357825

The definition of sensitive personal data under GDPR is data consisting of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.

www.burges-salmon.com/news-and-insight/legal-updates/gdpr-personal-data-and-sensitive-personal-data/

If your pronouns are held to reflect your inner psychological state of "gender identity", they might count as at least one of

*Privileged medical data under both the Data Protection Act as they disclose information that only a mental health professional might normally know. Compare the state of "feeling female", if that is indeed possible, to the state of feeling depressed.

*A privileged political opinion, religious or philosophical belief, namely that gender identity is something you can or cannot have. If you have the philosophical belief that you cannot determine your own pronouns, asking you for your pronouns forces you to disclose this sensitive data, and requiring them may also force you to lie (in breach of EHR article 9).

The corollary is that any organisation which stores pronouns would also be in receipt of such sensitive medical or philosophical information and would be counted as a data controller under the GDPR, and must obey the conditions for processing sensitive data (broadly, that the storage must be necessary for carrying out obligations), with very large fines issued for breaches. Organisations must issue extensive record keeping principles to show they are satisfying the principle of lawful processing. See:
www.burges-salmon.com/news-and-insight/legal-updates/gdpr-data-protection-principles/

This has not been tested in court and is my general ignorant musing interpretation only. Just throwing it out there!

What happens if you act stupid (probably not acting in my case) and say "er well...if you want to be formal call me Mrs Cann otherwise I'm quite happy with my nickname Fanny"?

FFS

I'd just tell them that gender is a bullshit social construct and it's fucking offensive for them to wonder what I am as I'm clearly FEMALE.

Sick of this utter bullshit, honestly.

"sorry, I'm not clear on what this is about. Is it something to do with my genitals?"

After 5 minutes reflection I have decided that because I am
A. Lazy
B. Nowhere near as clever as most of the posters here
C. Not confrontational or combative
I will, if asked, definitely go with
Mrs Cann, Francesca, Fanny
That will really confuse people who don't know me well and will wonder if they should stay formal or semi formal or risk a diminutive. I won't care which they use but I will thoroughly enjoy any discomfiture and occasionally judge people according to how they address me.

In fact I will probably make it my policy to correct people whichever they use just to confuse them and keep them on their toes. And when they use whichever correction I will correct them again to a different one. And if they challenge me I will claim memory problems.
Work life in the run up to retirement suddenly looks a lot more fun.

I think it should run more like the "my usual working days" footers you sometimes get.

So, "my usual "he/him" days are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and my usual she/her days are Wednesdays and Fridays. My usual "moody fucker" days are Mondays and its probably best not to speak to me at all on those days. Sometimes my pattern will change without notice and I will be offended if you get my pronouns wrong"

I, me, and, my, are the pronouns most people use to refer to themselves. I see no need to advertise this.

Why wouldn't you just put your preferred pronoun in? It's just makes life more welcoming and comfortable for trans and non binary ppl and causes no harm to anyone else.

Why wouldn't you just put your preferred pronoun in? It's just makes life more welcoming and comfortable for trans and non binary ppl and causes no harm to anyone else.

Does it though? What if there is a trans person who hasn't "come out" yet? They've either got to make a statement and reveal they prefer to be known by the opposite pronouns, or be made to feel like they're further forced to "lie" about their identity.

And also, I think it is harmful to anyone in the world who believes that their sex, is their sex irrespective of their personality. It props up the idea that gender is an innate essence. I find that very harmful.

My pronouns are wtf/ffs

I think it is harmful to anyone in the world who believes that their sex, is their sex irrespective of their personality.

I agree with this. We shouldn't have to believe that people have changed sex just because they prefer the stereotypes of the opposite sex. And we shouldn't have to believe that some people are sexless because they don't conform to the stereotypes for either sex.

"Does it though? What if there is a trans person who hasn't "come out" yet? They've either got to make a statement and reveal they prefer to be known by the opposite pronouns, or be made to feel like they're further forced to "lie" about their identity.*"
*
That's a litigation cop-out if we need one. Added to the wtf/fgs personal pronoun choice.

It is obedience training of the most pernicious sort. "There are four light."

Lots of great ideas here. We haven’t been asked but our diversity head has them on his.
I was impressed today actually with my employer - they don’t use the word queer because of the negative connotations