Gender pronouns in the workplace

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VintageRose

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Where I’ve worked for 19 years, we are now being encouraged to add “gender pronouns” to our office email signature. I’m a 67 year old Catholic lady and had never dealt with this until last month. My gender pronouns would be “her” and “she.” This all seems so ridiculous, and I’ve no intention of following suit. Curious, has anyone here faced this situation in their place of work…? Thank you for your thoughts.

Update: Today I was informed these are “preferred gender pronouns,” (PGP). A lady in our organization goes by the PGP of “they” and “them.” Management is hoping to build a more inclusive environment. We’re encouraged to add our own PGP in our office email signature, along with our workplace logo.
 
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I agree that is incredibly silly and I think you could just safely ignore the “encouragement” and roll your eyes. Although maybe you could throw them a bone and add “Ms.” or “mrs” to you’re email signature to let everyone know your female.

If push comes to shove just make up some nonsense and tell them pronouns are Eurocentric and patriarchal.
 
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I’ve included my preferred pronouns in my work profile for the past several years and I provide them in the documents I share with my students at the start of every course I teach. This is not something I’m required/encouraged to do by my employer, but doing so has led to some great conversations as well as made several students feel more safe/welcome in a given course.
 
What is the need that you are addressing by sharing your preferred pronouns? I agree with BoomBoomMancini that adding your form of address (Mr. Mrs. Miss) is useful where you have a name that could be confused, e.g. Kim. Otherwise I don’t think it’s necessary and I find it makes me uncomfortable when I see it in emails.
 
My husband has a name that could be confused as feminine (the spelling is different than the feminine version of the name). He added a picture of himself to his signature. Problem solved.

I personally, would not be willing to die on the gendered pronoun hill. I’d add a Mrs or whatever and keep on doing my job.
 
A lot of people in my university include their pronouns as part of their signatures. It’s one of those things that makes me shrug. I don’t really care all that much one way or the other. Do it or don’t do it but there’s no need to make a fuss.
 
One if the people working for me is named Jan. He’s a guy (pronounced Yahn), but a suprisingly number of callers ask too speak to her.
 
I don’t get this either. Do you sign your emails thus:

Rose (she)
 
Identify as an attack helicopter and tell them to check their rotary privilege.
 
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Hopefully he uses Mr. in his signature block to avoid confusion. If your name isn’t confusing, e.g. “Frank”, why do you have to list out your “preferred pronouns?” It seems like some kind of LBGT virtue signaling.
 
This stuff will end when all the sane people just roll their eyes and go “hahaha, no.”
 
It seems a pragmatic necessity in these strange times. The bosses probably want to avoid the legal issues that might arise if they’re accused of ‘misgendering’ a transgender person.
 
I have never heard of this. Frankly, it sounds silly and like a waste of time. I suppose I am fortunate that my name is unambiguously masculine and could never be confused for a woman’s name; thus it is unnecessary for me to ‘add my preferred pronouns’. I cannot believe that this is the sort of thing some people consider to be important in the modern world.
 
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Here’s an example - I was looking at Xavier U in Ohio for college, and their Catholic Campus minister had his in his signature.
This, among many other things, was a big turn-off for me

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Maximilian75 said:
Here’s an example - I was looking at Xavier U in Ohio for college, and their Catholic Campus minister had his in his signature.
This, among many other things, was a big turn-off for me

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I find it hilarious and tragic simultaneously that a university employee in what could be considered a high position has misspelled the word ‘pronouns’, not in a minor way but egregiously and unmistakably. A sign, perhaps, of the silliness he also attributes to this practice?
 
How do you list your pronouns if your gender is in a state of constant flux?

What if you have multiple personalities? Do each need to be addressed?

What if you use a bathroom that is not assigned to your preferred gender?

Does everyone at colleges today wear name tags that identify their gender, or do you get put on a list for making the wrong guess?

I am so confused? I think I need a manual for life. If you know the answers to the above questions, please let me know.
 
We sure consider ourselves cutting edge at our universities for general coolness, strict adherence to the cultural fashion du jour, and confusion.
 
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