She, Him, They: Pronouns at Work
Pronouns. I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about them in the past year, and you might be wondering what the big deal is. We all learned about them in English class and probably didn’t give much thought to them afterward. For non-queer people, pronouns seem like a non-issue…so why are we talking about them now?
Well, up until now most of us would just assume a person’s gender based on their name or how they dressed, and assign them a pronoun accordingly.
He or She, end of discussion.
But we’re not doing that anymore! As the gender binary continues to erode, we must adjust our language along with it. There are many people whose gender identities do not fit into the binary of “he” or “she”; some trans folks and most non-binary folks use gender-neutral (or gender-expansive) pronouns such as “they” and “them”. The goal is to stop making assumptions about peoples’ genders and instead let everyone define their own pronouns. It’s less awkward, more inclusive, and it’s just plain decent.
Gender-expansive language is important in the workplace because it creates a safe space for non-binary and trans folks to be their true selves. Ask yourself: if everyone at work called you by the wrong name and ignored you when you corrected them, would you feel valued or comfortable in that space?
“Every person deserves respect and inclusion at work, and respecting their pronouns is a great way to start.”
Why share your pronouns on your social profiles?
Online, we can automate the process of asking for someone’s pronouns by just putting them out there in the first place. This way, no one has to assume or even ask. Sharing your pronouns as a cisgender person (a person who identifies with their assigned gender at birth) normalizes the practice which makes it easier and safer for non-binary and trans people to identify their pronouns. If one person shares their pronouns, they stand out. But if we all share our pronouns by default, it just becomes a normal part of introducing yourself and no one has to feel awkward or have their identity invalidated.
Why should employees share their pronouns at work?
Giving employees the framework to share their gender pronouns in professional communications makes your organization a more inclusive and queer-friendly place for current employees, potential employees, and other collaborators. By default, pronouns should be included on your email signatures, team page, business cards, and definitely during the hiring process. Basically, anywhere you’d list someone’s name, pronouns should be included as well.
Simply put, making the effort to use gender-expansive language is one of the easiest ways to promote inclusivity in the workplace. It really just comes down to respect — every person deserves respect and inclusion at work, and respecting their pronouns is a great way to start.
