International Pronouns Day takes place every year on the 3rd Wednesday of October. This year Pronouns Day is October 19th. International Pronouns Day takes place each year with a straightforward goal; to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. That’s amazing because it’s one of our goals at smartdept., too. With that in mind, let’s look at what Pronouns are, why they are essential, and how we can use them in the workplace to create an inclusive and welcoming environment.

What is a Pronoun?

That’s a great question! Thanks for asking. Personal gender pronouns are those a person identifies with and would like to be called when their proper name is not used. The goal is for all people to decide how they want to be addressed. Some examples of commonly used Pronouns are:

  • she/her/hers
  • he/him/his
  • they/them/their
  • zi/zir/zirs/zirself
  • hi/hir/hirs/hirself

Being referred to by the wrong pronouns mainly affects transgender and gender-nonconforming people.

Why are they important?

Another great question! Referring to a person by the Pronoun of their choice is essential to human dignity. At smartdept., we use them because it allows us to see the whole picture of a person. Referring to people in our environment by the Pronoun of their choosing normalizes non-binary and transgender identities in the workplace and creates a safer environment for everyone. Additionally, it shows our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and allows us to respect our candidates, clients, and others.

How can we use them?

Ding, Ding, Ding! Five Stars! We should all consider including our Pronouns in our email signature and incorporate neutral language in greetings. If you are not sure how someone would like to be addressed, it’s okay. Just Ask. Try something appropriate like, “My pronouns are _______. Are you comfortable sharing your pronouns with me?” And if you make a mistake and someone corrects you, say “Thank you” instead of “I’m sorry.”

For ideas on how to participate in #pronounsday and for additional resources, please visit pronounsday.org.

 

By Haley Stowell, Sr. Creative Account Manager