Last year, Cubic introduced the option to include pronouns in the standard email signature. While many have adopted this practice, I’m sure there are still some who are wondering what this is all about. Well, stay tuned and I’ll give you a brief rundown and share my personal reflection and experience around the significance of pronouns.
In the English language, pronouns are commonly used to refer to a person in place of the person’s name. These pronouns have historically been gendered, for example the use of he/him to refer to a man and the use of she/her to refer to a woman. People have become accustomed to assuming a person’s gender based on their appearance and then choosing the pronoun that they feel matches best.
In general, the assumption is correct, and the person is happy to be referred to with that pronoun. But what happens if the assumption is wrong? Stop for a second and put yourself in the shoes of that person. How would you feel if you were referred to as a different gender? It isn’t a good feeling, right? You may feel that your identity is not being seen or that you are not being respected. Now, for people whose gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth, they may never be mis-gendered, or it may only happen once or twice in their lifetime. But for those who identify as a different gender, such as those who are transgender[1] or non-binary [2], mis-gendering may be a frequent or even daily occurrence. By normalizing the act of offering one’s pronouns, rather than letting others assume them, we support those transgender and non-binary individuals to be recognized and respected in their affirmed gender identity.
As a transgender woman who has transitioned in the workplace, I have experienced first-hand how it feels to be addressed using pronouns or titles that don’t reflect one’s gender identity. Shortly after I returned to work as Stefanie, I made a call to IT support. The call went fine, but at the end of the call, the IT support technician said: “Thank-you, sir – have a good day”. My state of mind was immediately impacted. One minute I was happily going about my day, the next I felt like I wasn’t recognized as my true self. I’m sure the IT support technician did not mean me any harm, but it would have been better if they had not assumed my gender – either by not using gendered pronouns or titles, or by simply introducing themselves at the start of the conversation with something like, “Hi, my pronouns are he/him – what are yours?”. This normalization of offering one’s pronouns is so important to support those of us who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming[3].
It was made clear to me just the other day that we are all learning, and we all make mistakes. In a meeting to discuss this blog, I used the wrong pronouns to refer to a person who uses they/them pronouns. If this happens, the best thing to do is to acknowledge your mistake, correct it and move on. Don’t make a big fuss as this often draws attention to that person, which may be uncomfortable for them. And don’t shy away from engaging with people out of fear of getting their pronouns wrong. People will understand the occasional mistake – the important thing is that you are trying and that you do respect their identity.
For those of you who have already added your pronouns to your email signatures – thank you! For those of you who hesitate, I would encourage you to think about the points I have mentioned in this blog and to consider doing so. Not only does this support the transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming community, but it also signals a broader support for an inclusive culture which is welcoming to people of all genders, gender identities, sexualities, races, ethnic groups, cultures, ages and abilities.
[1] “transgender” describes a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.
Source: Oxford Languages
[2] “Non-binary" describes a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories.
[3] A broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category.
Source: https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
