Something that has been brought into a significantly brighter light as of late is the topic of gender and which are the appropriate pronouns to use for someone.

With gender fluidity becoming a more open and talked about topic, people are feeling more confident and comfortable than ever to show their true and authentic selves. (What a beautiful thing!)

This has been a huge change for the workplace as more and more employees are entering the workplace with gender identities and expressions that may be different from what we may most frequently think of when discussing gender. There are now as many as 58 gender options on social media platforms to choose from.

The easiest way to find out which descriptor or pronoun you should be using is to ask, you could start by saying, “Hi, my name is _______. My preferred pronoun is _________. What’s yours?”

It’s a simple solution but it will open the door to a much wider conversation around the topic. The feeling of being misgendered can be hurtful, angering and a whole range of other negative emotions. Imagine someone getting your name wrong all the time, or assuming you were female when you identify as male, it would make you feel pretty irritated or isolated too!

This new wave of personal identities can be a bit tricky to process for some people but it’s important to remember that fear-based responses come from a lack of understanding, so try to help pave the way by being the person to begin the conversation, all you need is some conscious thinking about the terminology you use to prevent a potentially upset co-worker.

Take the below example and see if you notice anything;

“You guys missed it last night. Alex and I were manning reception and she told the funniest joke!”

Sounds normal enough, right? 

This could have unintentionally made people feel uncomfortable or excluded. The person making this comment didn’t intend to insult or cause distress to anybody, including Alex (who actually uses they/them/their pronouns) also the language that was chosen – referring to a mixed group as “you guys,” and using the gendered term “manning” instead of a neutral one like “staffing” and calling someone the wrong pronouns may have done exactly that.

This is not something that is done out of malice and actually can be adjusted with some conscious word choices and adopting language that is more gender-inclusive, this can ensure that you’re not only treating all of your co-workers with respect but also your customer, clients and any business relations you have.

For a more in-depth look at Equality and Diversity within the workplace, drop us a message to talk about training and consultancy options and our new Equality and Diversity ELearning course for you and the business you work with.

Happy Pronouning