Why we include Gender Inclusive Pronouns
Why include Gender Inclusive Pronouns in our email signatures?
At Cosmic Bliss, we are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment, wherein our team members and everyone that they are interacting with feel comfortable being themselves and celebrated for their unique identities.
We envision a culture where we don’t make assumptions or pass judgment on each other. By choosing to include our pronouns in our email signature, we’re taking a small step towards creating this world. Simply put, we’re just letting you know how you can refer to us—no assumptions necessary!
What are Pronouns (or “Gender Pronouns” / “Preferred Gender Pronouns”)?
Pronouns are used in language all the time. Gender pronouns are just one kind of pronoun we often use when we refer to ourselves or other people. They help us to shorten sentences and refer to people how they wish to be referred to. It’s as simple as that! Some examples include:
- he/him/his (for someone who might identify as male),
- she/her/hers (for someone who might identify as female),
- they/them/their (for someone who might not identify strictly as male or female, these pronouns are considered ‘gender neutral’; also used when referring to multiple people).
Why Start Including Gender Pronouns Now?
The fact is that we’ve learned to make automatic assumptions about what pronouns to use in our society and it’s not always so obvious. Sometimes a person’s gender identity (the way the person identifies internally in terms of their gender) doesn’t align with their gender expression (the way they look or sound), or the name in their email signature for that matter.
By utilizing Gendered Pronouns, it does not inherently mean someone is transgender or gender non-conforming. It’s just an easy way of saying “rather than automatically assume, I will let you know what my preferred pronouns are.” We’re simply taking away any guesswork for you and in turn, respecting and acknowledging each other’s chosen identities.
