Do YOU put your pronouns in work emails? Fierce debate breaks out as some insist it’s ‘jumping on the woke bandwagon’ and others claim it invites more discrimination against women
- Debate broke out on Mumsnet over putting pronouns in email signatures
- Anonymous UK-based poster asked people for reasons they don’t agree with it
- A number of posters felt the policy forces people into having a gender identity
- Others felt it is fair, and it is an easy way to avoid people being misgendered
An online debate has broken out over whether people should have to put their pronouns in their email signature at work, with some saying it forces people into categories, and others branding it as ‘woke’.
The discussion was sparked by a post on the British parenting forum Mumsnet by a user who said she doesn’t agree with the policy, and asked others to articulate reasons for this opinion.
She wrote: ‘Can someone remind me why some people (likely myself included) does not agree with stated pronouns in email signatures?’
The post prompted a range of responses from fellow Mumsnetters, with some saying that being forced to put pronouns in their signatures made them feel forced to adopt a particular gender identity.
Others said that they feel women suffer discrimination in the workplace as it is, and they don’t want to risk reinforcing gender bias.
However, some insisted that it’s a simple thing everyone can do to help transgender people feel included.
An anonymous woman (not pictured) sparked a debate on Mumsnet after asking people their reasons for not using pronouns in their email signatures
The poster explained that she did not agree with putting pronouns in her email signature, but asked others to articulate reasons for her
Explaining her position, the original poster wrote: ‘It is being requested at work from the perspective of being a small step to being an ally to LGBTQ+ community.
‘I just think it is a bit pointless and whilst I have nothing against this or any other community I cannot see what knowing or sharing pronouns really does apart from make you look like a bit of a tit.
‘Can someone offer a more articulate explanation please?’
One of the commentators on the post said they felt some people put their pronouns on emails because they are ‘just jumping on the woke bandwagon’.
For a number of Mumsnetters, companies making staff use pronouns in email signatures could force people to reveal a protected characteristic they don’t yet want to reveal
One explained their point of view, writing: ‘It forces those struggling with their gender identity to decide their pronouns when they may not be publicly ready to do so.
‘Its bad for females who suffer from unconscious bias as it is.
‘It buys into the idea that everyone has a gender identity.
‘What other personal characteristics will be asked to be declared in an email signature to show allyship – ethnicity, religion, disability?’
Another agreed, writing: ‘No one should be forced to have a gender identity
‘No one should be forced to reveal their sex or gender identity. Women may find the assertion of masculinity aggressive.’
Some posters felt that putting female pronouns on their email signatures or other pieces of business correspondence could engender bias
Multiple female posters said they did not want to reveal their gender identity because they felt that women are not treated equally in the workplace, and they did not want to incur that bias.
One explained: ‘Because women are generally regarded as less competent than men and their work is often considered inferior to men’s, even if the work is identical. The best way for women to be treated as professional is for them not to identify their gender. If a woman can simply be regarded as a person, her work and opinion will be held in higher regard.’
Another added: ‘As a woman who has spent decades trying to be professional and overcome the impact of gender bias, I would not want to identify my gender on letters or emails.’
And a third wrote: ‘Also what others have said. I don’t want to emphasise to people that I’m female when doing business with them. They know I am from my name, but having it there in black and white feels like I’m bringing more discrimination against myself.’
Meanwhile other posters said they believed that putting pronouns in email signatures could be helpful
However, some posters felt that adding pronouns to work email signatures is a positive move, and helps to avoid people being misgendered, while others said they felt some of the tone of the conversation had been transphobic.
One wrote: ‘Its supposed to just be a way to support trans people. If only trans people use preferred pronouns in their signatures to avoid being misgendered, it singles them out as being trans. If we all do it as standard it takes away the stigma. It’s a simple thing we can do to make peoples lives easier.’
Another felt that discussing the topic had exposed ‘anger, prejudice, and intolerance’, writing: ‘I am genuinely shocked at the replies on this thread. I assumed the world to be much more tolerant and kind. I know people who live their lives as a gender they were not assigned at birth, and the impact of them doing so on me is nil.
‘I know teenagers going through an identity crisis and it feels like a high number young people hitting puberty feel uncomfortable with the associations of the societal construct of the gender they are assigned to. That is a big issue which is really affecting the next generation and one that needs a lot of empathy and support not anger.
‘I feel no attachment to my pro nouns – they are words that help us navigate the english language. This is a tricky topic – i do not want to declare my pro nouns and it’s interesting to explore why. But the anger and prejudice and intolerance is not what our society should be about.’
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