Pronouns in email

[Whatinthelord]

If someone were requested to state their pronouns, in their workplace.
Is there scope for anyone to choose any pronoun at all (presuming it’s not offensive).

I prefer the pronouns superhero/super self.
I wonder what action I can take if my stated pronouns are not respected by colleagues.

[quote hamstersarse]@Floisme

I think the only thing people can do is be adult about it and politely refuse to participate.[/quote]
But I’m told refusing is transphobic. So it’s either state pronouns or be considered a bigot for declining apparently.

You have the right not to out yourself, surely? What if you were trans but not ready to announce it yet?

@WhoWants2Know

You have the right not to out yourself, surely? What if you were trans but not ready to announce it yet?

A point I raised too, as I though pressure to make people state their pronouns was unfair for multiple reasons.

It is technically voluntary, but of course if all managers and colleagues do it, then share belief refusal shows transphobia it becomes less than voluntary.

Being asked to state pronouns in meeting and emails rather suggests they aren’t based on personal belief but on fact doesn’t it?
No, I see it as an invitation to state gender identity. I don't have one, don't believe in the concept and object to being asked to endorse a belief that I don't have.
When I think it through, someone asking me to respect their pronouns is not only stating their own personal belief - which would be fair enough - they are also asking me to validate their belief, even though I don't share it.
At the same time I don't wish to be discourteous, hence feeling at an impasse.

Soz ignore that 'no' I think I'm probly agreeing with you What!

Timely thread. Unfortunately, the long-dreaded day has arrived when colleagues have been politely requested to include "their pronouns" in email sign-offs at my place of work. I am going to go with "no" - if asked why I am not doing it - and decline to elaborate.

Very timely thread.
Pupils have been voted in on a LGBTQ+ committee at my school and first on the agenda is pronoun name badges.

This just arrived at my workplace as well, so far I am ignoring it as are most of my colleagues

@titchy

I hate to say this Robin but I know someone called Richard Head. Perhaps you should have done something to stop the potential bullying of one of your team members...

🤣

I hate to say this Robin but I know someone called Richard Head.

“I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called 'Biggus Dickus'.” 🤔

@titchy

I hate to say this Robin but I know someone called Richard Head. Perhaps you should have done something to stop the potential bullying of one of your team members...

I had the same thought.

I also know a Michael Hunt. One receptionist was given a formal warning for her antics over the tannoy.

It's not a manager's job to humiliate staff, even if they set themselves up for it.

We have been invited, very much on the basis of it being voluntary, to add them to our email signatures at work. I have not yet seen anyone adding them.
I am not compelled to state whether I am Ms/Miss/Mx/Mr either, so I don't.
None of this matters at work. Fair enough if you want to do this elsewhere, but I really resent the disclosure of this kind of personal information at work.

I don't care that much about anyone else using them, and if people think it's important enough to them that there might be confusion then I'll oblige.

I'd be reluctant to be put on the spot and choose pronouns for myself as it might be seen as making some kind of declaration I'm not ready for or knowledgeable about, and it seems to be something to do with body parts so it makes me a bit uneasy in a work environment.

@Whatinthelord The point of putting pronouns in an email signature is to let people know how they ought refer to you. Even setting aside transgender issues, many people have names which are gender neutral and having a clarifying note can be useful. I agree it should be optional.

Do you also object to writing Ms or Mr?

I think people who object to having to participate in this bullshit, myself included, will just have to suck up any accusations of transphobia.

Let’s face it, those accusations will be based on nothing but narcissistic hot air so who cares

It should indeed be voluntary for a variety of reasons, not least that you can choose to just not add pronouns rather than put a tired joke like 'my pronouns are attack/helicopter'.

many people have names which are gender neutral and having a clarifying note can be useful

Useful to whom? JK Rowling might not be a billionaire if she'd signalled her sex rather than calling herself JK. Something known by female authors for a very long time. Email responses to women tend to be different to those to male colleagues and not better. So not signalling sex is useful to women.

[quote StillPerplexed]@Whatinthelord The point of putting pronouns in an email signature is to let people know how they ought refer to you. Even setting aside transgender issues, many people have names which are gender neutral and having a clarifying note can be useful. I agree it should be optional.

Do you also object to writing Ms or Mr?[/quote]
People sometimes incorrectly write mrs for me and sometimes write ‘Mrs husbands name’ not realising I kept my maiden name. I’ve also had Mr surname once.

None of that bothered me remotely. If it did I would of course put something to signal what I wanted to be called.

I’ve a few times wished merry Christmas to people that don’t celebrate it, or asked people about Halloween when they are opposed to it due to religious reasons. I don’t now ask everyone I meet to declare their religion. You could argue knowing peoples accessibility needs would be helpful in work (eg if some lip reads) but we don’t ask people to wear badges stating any disabilities. We leave it up to people to decide for themselves what Information they want people to know about themselves.

For what it’s worth I do regret how douchbaggy this post is.

The point of putting pronouns in an email signature is to let people know how they ought refer to you.

I think that often isn't the reason actually. Most people don't have sex-neutral names. The majority if people who include their pronouns are doing it either because a) they classify themselves as trans or non-binary, but obviously these are a pretty small minority b) they want to show they support the genderists' cause or c) they've been told they have to.