What Are Your Pronouns?

Have you noticed that LinkedIn and email signatures are chock full of pronouns. Many cisgender individuals are proudly displaying she/her and he/him pronouns. While on the one hand, it is wonderful to see so many allies stepping forward to declare their gender identity, I often wonder if there is enough education about why pronouns are important in society and how to effectively use pronouns, especially at work. If this education was available, would we see more per/per and ve/ver pronoun use, among the many other pronouns that are emerging?

So, I did something about it. I developed a pronoun training program that can be slipped into any company’s PRIDE month programming or run at any time pronoun use becomes important to employees, clients or customers. (During June 2021 PRIDE, a reduced rate is offered to companies that make use of the training, too.)

While in my view the training is simple and straightforward, I noticed the importance of the training for majority culture people, often noted as cisgender, heterosexual Christians. It was in this training that offered them some context regarding the use of pronouns, much of which was new for many participants. The training also offers a safe space to ask questions that some often fear saying aloud; but, asking the hard questions, the ones that most may shy away from in a public setting can be part of the education process, especially during PRIDE. 

But something else happened, too. Members of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community who were co-workers of these majority culture employees testified about their experiences, the importance of accurate pronoun use, and offered tips as to what the majority culture employees can do to both check their privilege and provide support at work for others. When this happens in these training sessions, it just seems like pure magic!

Having the opportunity to see a bridge being formed right in front of my eyes is an honor, to put it mildly. Everyone tends to leave this training with a lot of energy, and more importantly, a new understanding of what it means to be seen, heard, understood, and valued at work, which is a critical component to driving up sales and delivering business results, let alone improving company culture and building employee community. 

So as we move into PRIDE month, take some time to strike up a conversation with a member of the LGBTGEQIAP+ community. Ask them their pronouns. Strike up a conversation about their experiences. Talk about what you can do more and better to be an ally. Use PRIDE as your opportunity to demonstrate the society that makes equality possible for all.