Pronouns in work email signature (as a cis person)?

[erichamion]

I hope I'm not intruding on this space. Please let me know if I am.

 

My workplace uses a very standardized email signature template, and the department who creates the template recently released an update. As of two days ago, we're now optionally allowed to include pronouns in our email signature. Is this something I should do, given the specific context of my position?

 

I'm a cisgender man with a common masculine name. My pronouns are the "obvious" ones based on my name and appearance (is there a less cisnormative way to say that?), so I don't need to include them for my own sake.

My position is not client-facing. I'm not communicating with clients or with new people all the time. My emails stay within the company.

I'm on a small team. I normally interact with the members of this team and just a few specific other people outside it. To my knowledge, none of the people I work directly with are trans or nonbinary.

 

I'm aware of the argument that people like me advertising our pronouns normalizes the practice, so people who do need to give their pronouns aren't singled out. In fact, in a different context where I'm talking to a different group of people every few weeks, I do list my pronouns for that exact reason. But does that reasoning apply in this more limited context?

 

I'm happy to do it if it will do some good. But if the only purpose is to make an empty statement that makes me feel like I'm doing something, then there's no point.

[Guest]

Despite obviously being a cis woman I include by pronouns in my email sig simply as a gesture of support to trans colleagues, as I have heard from several trans people that it makes them feel more comfortable sharing their own pronouns etc. If this is something you are comfortable doing, I'd say do it even if you are part of a small team. You have no way of knowing how your colleagues may identify if they aren't out, and it might just make someone's day, while doing no harm at all to anyone.

[Morays]

32 minutes ago, ER2742 said:

I'm happy to do it if it will do some good. But if the only purpose is to make an empty statement that makes me feel like I'm doing something, then there's no point.

The thing is that you can't know if it will do any good or not, since as @theV0ID points out, you can't be certain how your colleagues identify or what they're going through. So I'd say if there's a chance of it doing good and no chance of it causing harm, it's probably worth doing.

[Tetus]

Well, the cost/benefit on this one is pretty clear to me: 30 seconds spent editing your signature in a way that won't be surprising or disruptive to anyone can't really hurt, so even if the gains are incredibly marginal or nonexistent, you haven't lost anything.

[Snao Cone]

Do it! It's not just about the workplace, but normalizing respect for pronouns in general. If people see it at work they might start using it in a social setting. Imagine a coworker sees that, thinks about it, and decides to ask their kid what pronouns they use. If that kid is trans/nonbinary or whatever, that could take a massive weight off their shoulders to have the topic brought up by an authority figure in a positive way. Another coworker might have friends or relatives who complain about this topic, and they can say "We've used pronouns in email signatures at work for months and there have been no issues, it's not the problem you think it is." It goes beyond the emails you send.

[Anthracite_Impreza]

Agree with the others; it's a great way to normalise the non-assumption of gender/pronouns and can literally make someone's day when they're trans. We need all the support we can get.

[auntjessie]

I have a close friend who is trans and we have had many conversations about pronouns.

 

I've started adding mine to email signatures and social media bios because I am showing my support for the trans community. I see it as a way of no longer assuming. There are many gender neutral names now and having their pronouns listed is helpful, especially if you can't find information as to whether they are male/female/binary/non-binary.

 

To me it's a way of not only supporting the trans community, but helping people in general. I'm sure there are people who see it as pandering to the trans community when in reality it's being inclusive and supportive. And it's totally optional. No one has to put include their pronouns if they don't want to. I won't judge either way.

 

Just like ace and aro being two separate orientations, we need to start making things inclusive and pronouns are really a simple way to start.

[erichamion]

Thank you for the responses. It seems like the consensus is pretty strong.

[verily-forsooth-egads]

Presenting yourself as an LGBT ally in a closed space dominated by straight cis people discourages anyone there from thinking they have a green light to air transphobic views, which can rapidly become an echo chamber if it gets started. Reminding conservatives that we exist in real life is a great thing.

[Karst]

I know a surprisingly large number of cisgender people who put their pronouns in things like their Zoom display name.

[vmdraco]

On 4/10/2021 at 11:50 PM, verily-forsooth-egads said:

Presenting yourself as an LGBT ally in a closed space dominated by straight cis people discourages anyone there from thinking they have a green light to air transphobic views

Truuuuuuue, encouraging transphobes to stay silent as they should be demonstrates how socially unacceptable it is to be an asshole. 

 

Also, I find it comforting to see a cisgender person use pronouns in a bio or in emails.  It tells me that they're safe, and I don't have to constantly second-guess whether that person will be a huge piece of shit, especially in a job setting or I'm applying for one.  It saves me the mental gymnastics and it bugs me immensely when people get up in arms about it.  Like bitch it's not about you, go take a xanax and lay down.

[Emery.]

I'm a bit late to the party but: do whatever you feel like doing. It would matter for me personally and I find stating pronouns awlward myself. So I wouldn't expect others to feel any different about it