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Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

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11–20 of 150 posts

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#11
I am from Georgia, (the country not state). My coworkers are generally LGBT neutral or friendly, never heard anything bad from anyone. I personally attend most pro-LGBT rallies. In our language, the Georgian language, there is just one pronoun for all genders, so we don't care. I personally consider enforcing others' choice of specific words in their speech a generally questionable practice.

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#14
post #2

No and I wouldn't if they asked. I don't think gender has any bearing on how one performs their job and to promote such a thing could do more harm than good. When I see someone with their pronouns on twitter I usually don't engage with them. People who do this more often than not tend to make everything about gender politics where it would otherwise be irrelevant.

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Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#15
post #2

No and I wouldn't if they asked. I don't think gender has any bearing on how one performs their job and to promote such a thing could do more harm than good. When I see someone with their pronouns on twitter I usually don't engage with them. People who do this more often than not tend to make everything about gender politics where it would otherwise be irrelevant.

I have a number of acquaintances on social media who advertise their pronouns. They write, post visual art, engage in a wide range of discussions and sometimes involve themselves in gender or identity issues, but I haven't noticed a proclivity towards irrelevant politics. I wonder if the phenomenon you're seeing is one more prominent on Twitter?

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#16
My small employer has made no mention of the subject, and since my coworkers are ideologically diverse it would cause conflict if they did.

I think it's worth stating pronouns if a significant fraction of the people you work with have nontraditional ones. If it's just a tiny fraction, or none, it isn't worth the trouble. Like, if you're the only kosher person in a workplace it shouldn't make it necessary to partition food according to kosher law in the office kitchen, but it may be if the majority are keeping kosher.

A "significant fraction" is of course in the eye of the beholder. But maybe we can agree that it's somewhere between 1% and 50%.

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#18
I am LGBT and not in favor of it being pressured or de-facto compulsory. I would hope it was popular enough that people understood what it meant so that trans people can have more acceptance and understanding. I don't have it in my email signature, but if my company released a policy saying it was acceptable, I might add it. I would probably not add it without management permission since it is their choice how they want to present their brand to their clients. I think strongly pushing it on straight people is more likely to create a backlash and create a counter-movement.

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#19
post #3

It's viewed by some as a political matter, but in reality, the intent is to ensure that everyone feels comfortable sharing their pronouns without making people feel awkward. So by mentioning my own (he/him), I'm enabling a non-cis person to share theirs without them feeling odd about it, which boosts inclusivity. That's the intent. I haven't done it yet (I probably should), but while I don't see neutrality towards st…

Would a better aim be that any person can choose, or choose not, to proffer their pronouns, and feel equally comfortable either way?

Re: Ask HN: Does your employer want you to state pronouns in email signature?

#20
Some have put theirs in. I would if they asked or made mandatory. It's not something I personally care for or otherwise want to spend time and energy being bothered by it. I will however, if it means showing a small sign of support for those that do. As is, my signature is just my name. I don't understand the rebellious approach for something so trivial imo.
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