Does anyone specify their pronouns in email?

Just had an email from a person with first name Alison. Underneath it said pronouns she/her. No shit - you're a woman. I deduced that from your first name but I don't actually care what gender or whatever you claim to be we're just doing business. Don't know whether the pronoun bit is the organisation policy or something she chooses to add.

Had to answer professionally but was so tempted to say if you want to bring pronouns in to the equation wouldn't it be way cooler to be them/they

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Harmonium1923 · 51-55, M

I’m amazed at the tone of so many of these responses. Really, why do you all care if someone specifies their pronouns? Is it that different from specifying a preferred name so people know what to call you? I have a ton of clients and friends who do that for reasons unrelated to gender identity. I also have several business colleagues with Asian names who specify pronouns in their correspondence because it’s not clear to Americans from their names.

It seems like the most basic professional courtesy to respect someone’s wishes in how they want to be addressed, and why shouldn’t they specify it to make everyone’s lives easier? The amount of contempt on this issue is really troubling. If there were a manager in my organization who forbid people to put that on their emails, that manager wouldn’t be in a supervisory role for long. Management is about empowering people and treating them with respect, not bullying them.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Harmonium1923 If your name is obviously male or female, there’s no need to say anything. If it isn’t, or your gender is different from what your name implies, just add your title (Mr, Ms, or whatever).

Harmonium1923 · 51-55, M

@MartinII So it’s fine to specify “Mr” but not “he/him”, because the latter would be acting “gullible”? 🙄

MartinII · 70-79, M

@Harmonium1923 No, it’s simply unnecessary. Things only get difficult if Mr Smith wants people to refer to him as she/her - or other comparable combinations.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Harmonium1923 Great answer. It harms nobody, but may aid communication. Nobody could object to that, surely 🙃

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@MartinII A lot of women think advertising their marital status through a title is irrelevant . . but if you do, it makes replying to a written communication professionally rather easier.

MartinII · 70-79, M

@SunshineGirl Which is why the title Ms emerged, and is in common use.

Sharon · F

@MartinII A lot of other countries just started using the equivalent for Mrs for all women, regardless of their marital status. Adding Ms to the list just complicated things.

iamonfire696 · 41-45, F

@Harmonium1923 Well said

Sharon · F

@MartinII

If it isn’t, or your gender is different from what your name implies, just add your title (Mr, Ms, or whatever).

Dr?

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@MartinII That is good as well, another piece in the jigsaw 👍

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

@Sharon The Germans mess up by qualifying this with "Herr Doktor", etc 😩

Sharon · F

@SunshineGirl They don't stop at one "doktor" either. If a person has more than one doctorate, they say "doktor" for each one - e.g. "Frau Doktor Doktor...". They like their titles.