So I think this is the bit that I donāt quite buy. Not completely, anyway, which is why I wondered how much the current trend for pronouns in the workplace had been studied.
This quote is talking about mandating the use of pronouns, which no one here is suggesting, but I think you end up with a similar result if everyone-but-you in the office is displaying them.
Whilst many organisations mandate the sharing of pronouns on email footers with the best intentions towards transgender and non-binary communities, itās important to acknowledge that this initiative can have some unintended negative consequences at two key points.
Firstly, for those who choose to conceal their gender identity at work, being asked to declare their pronouns can feel like a lose-lose situation: they must either out themselves in a way that may not feel comfortable or safe, or lie and risk being mis-gendered on a regular basis. For those who have not disclosed their gender identity to others, stating the wrong pronouns on an email footer can serve as a persistent reminder of the disparity between how they identify and how others perceive them. Those within the transgender and non-binary community who do conceal their identity may therefore feel further excluded by this move towards public sharing of pronouns.
Secondly, research shows that when aspects of our identity are made salient, stereotypes are more readily activated. The act of reminding somebody, or indeed simply reminding yourself, of your gender can increase the likelihood that stereotypes will be drawn upon in subsequent interactions. For example, we know that women are less likely to be offered a job if they include their gender on their CV. For this reason, the practice of including gender on a CV is now considered to be outdated. Sharing pronouns on email footers not only opens the door for discrimination and exclusion based on gender, but can also lead to self-stereotyping which can impact self-confidence and performance.
Fwiw, I found nothing on google scholar and web searches are mostly full of opinion pieces.
DSespite me saying not no one is harmed earlier, I do think more research into it needs to be done. Personally, I havenāt included my pronouns in emails etc and I wouldnāt do if asked (although Iām at uni, itās a bit different to a workplace). I have my reasons for it but I also donāt care about those who choose to. I think forcing people to do it is wrong, but you might end up with issues if everyone but one person does it.
I think people who do it do deliberately as a way to go against transgender people are wrong though.
Yes. It helps normalise the practice, which means the people who sign ā(they / their them)ā in particular donāt feel like āodd-one-outā weirdos for having their pronouns in their signature.
It also acknowledges that how someone presents may differ from how they identify, and that you canāt ātell what people areā just by looking at them.
So far I donāt know of anywhere mandating it, and Iād be surprised if that became the norm.
I understand where your argument is coming from but Iām afraid I just donāt see any harm in allowing pronouns to be prominently displayed at work. If you donāt want to, by all means donāt.
The normalisation of it really is key. Now I donāt pretend to be an expert, nor am I trans or in any way questioning of the gender I was born into, but Iām keen to liken it to the use of the word āpartnerā. Itās fairly gender/sexuality neutral but for years it was seem to define a small group of either gay people or āGuardian readers trying to sound modernā.
Now itās just a normal word used by most that I know, and at work, and is a way of being quite inclusive and nobody thinks twice about it or judges someone for using it. Equally if a male colleague talks of his wife Iām not offended so you can choose not to use partner.
Itās not a perfect analogy I know but itās the best I could bring to mind.
Btw Iām also very much of the opinion the militantly expecting the world to instantly understand pronouns (particularly ones that fall outside of the ones we are used to - he/she/them) wonāt work. Getting angry because someone uses the wrong pronouns I do not believe wins arguments, but I think the normalisation of it will assist long term.
Like I said, I canāt think of how anyone loses in this.
I mean itās a name badge at end of day with some pronouns on, case closed. If people donāt like it there free to move along to whichever cave they so with to live in.
Many staff wear sunflower lanyards and badges, and it became really important for staff to have these during the pandemic.
One of the things I donāt get is why people think itās all about the person wearing the badge or giving their pronoun. Itās not. Itās an indicator to say your aware of pronouns. It can be a way of people who may be nonconforming to know itās safe or simply that you understand.
Eurgh. I definitely shouldnāt have started reading the comments on twitter. These people
These bigots are going to run out of acceptable institutions soon, having been āforcedā to close accounts at Barclays in 2019 when it used a rainbow app icon
Outraged article in the Dail Hate Mail* today. Swarms of people complaining on social media! 150 have said they will close their accounts!
Wait. What.
150? Is nothing. Not even a drop in a drop in the ocean.
I donāt think Halifax are going to be at all bothered. Indeed, I donāt think society as a whole is bothered either. Just the small number of loud bigots.
(*Not mine, work copy, would prefer not to get it at all, but sometimes I flip through to torment myself/do the āknow your enemyā thing.)
Ah the gift which keeps on giving, I almost forget these people exist until they pop up to speak some nonsense for a newspaper article.
Last night customer Caroline Ffiske, a former Conservative councillor, said: āIt is incredibly rude for Halifax to say to customers if you donāt like it go away. Itās astonishing to have a bank behaving like a trans activist.ā
