As an inclusive leader, I have been adding my pronouns (She/Her) to my signature blocks and social media for a while now and some people have asked me why I do it when I am a cisgender person.
A cisgender is a person whose gender is in alignment with the sex they were assigned at birth.
For a person who is transgender or nonbinary, sharing pronouns can be a bit risky. That’s why it is important for us cisgender folks to lead the change by sharing pronouns, make it common place. It normalises the process, has little risk, and actually makes for a safer environment for everyone.
“As a cisgender, there is little to no risk in sharing your pronouns. When you’ve never questioned what pronouns people use for you, or even thought about the idea of pronouns after you learned about them in infants’ school, sharing your pronouns on digital profiles is easy and costs you nothing.”
Max Masure
As LGBT+, it is important for me to be an ally to our non-binary and trans community and it also makes pronouns clear when occasionally, especially virtually, there can be confusion or assumptions made. Normalising the usage of pronouns is a small and yet impactful way to show your advocacy for the whole LGBTQ+ community.
- Be an ally through your emails – Try adding your pronouns to your email signature block! It’s an easy way to not only inform people you communicate with of your pronouns, but it normalises this process for everyone. Add a link to this blog to explain why it is important.
- Be an ally through social media – Try adding your pronouns to your social media! It’s another really easy way to inform people of your pronouns and continues to normalise this for everyone. LinkedIn and Instagram both have a section when you edit your profile for pronouns, and you can easily add it to your name or Bio on other platforms and why not add a link to this blog to explain why it is important.
So, however you identify, be an inclusive leader and an LGBTQ+ ally, be proud of your pronouns and encourage others to as well! You will help many more folk than you think.
A successful business owner by age twenty, and with a varied 21-year military career including five years at the MoD on Whitehall, Leona has developed first class leadership and management skills. She has managed the successful implementation of major change programmes both in the UK and worldwide, including on behalf of Transport for London in collaboration with the 2012 Olympics. Leona is also IoD Director of the Year and a Fellow of IoD, CMI, InstLM.