Using pronouns in the workplace is something that everyone need to realize how and when to use it. Sometimes people think using pronouns for colleagues is normal but actually, it is not. Sometimes refereeing to words like you guys, you, I and other pronouns can sound insulting and uncomfortable. However, the employer needs to treat the employees and the workers need to treat the co-worker with respect. Moreover, it’s the duty of the employees to make every worker feel comfortable in the workplace.
Gender-Specific Pronouns
Gender is a broad spectrum. Therefore, one need not use pronouns to make it gender specific especially at the workplace. Rather than the name of a worker at the work the gender is important for many workers. This is not at all right. As the work of the worker at office is important, the work speaks for an individual and not his or her gender. Especially when the workplace has transgender individuals at office other co-workers need to behave themselves while calling out their names at office rather than “hey you”, dude, hey guys and more. One needs to acknowledge the other individuals identity rather than hurting them intentionally or unintentionally.
Transgender Pronouns
People make assumptions about the genders of transgenders. That is quite mean on their part. As soon as a transgender individual enters the office there are comments that people give using pronouns like “he” and she which they do not like to hear for them. They keep hearing over and over something or the other about their individuality and identity that hurts the person from within. May a times people can`t really bring their whole self to the workplace that is to say that they are not able to express themselves totally.
Ways To Use Personal Pronouns At Workplace
There are different options available to understand who and how to define an individual’s pronoun at the workplace. When someone chooses a personal pronoun to identify a particular individual, using the correct pronoun is a form of respect. At workplace the co-workers must not mis-gender anyone who is transgender. In reality, the personal pronouns act as a knife in the heart. People who are close to these specific sets of individuals mean a lot to them. Therefore, they must be very careful. Hence, pronouns are something that one needs to use to acknowledge one identity and not for hurting someone. Moreover, someone’s identity needs to be valued for what they are. Everyone has the right to be included in the team and has the right to be as he\she is. The feeling that one is different from others keeps haunting the head over and over again. It`s we who need to make everyone feel equal and behave with them accordingly.
Gender-Neutral Pronouns
There are various grammatical genders that people at workplace use. That is human male, human female, animate and inanimate. There are various problems that grammatical genders bring. It is seen that this affects the way one thinks. He, she and it are some pronouns that affect the genders. Therefore, the English language has a solution to these pronouns as the word “they” or “them” can be used if needed.
