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The USRA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee has implemented its first initiative, asking that USRA employees consider using Personal Gender Pronouns (PGPs) in email signatures as a gesture to help normalize the discussion of nonbinary gender identities and to create an inclusive environment for USRA employees who identify as nonbinary. Jeff Isaacson encouraged this initiative in a September 22 email to all USRA staff, saying, "Making our personal gender pronouns clear—those pronouns which we define for ourselves—is one way we can help to remove any stigma attached to non-binary gender identification and make our workplace more inclusive."
What’s a Personal Gender Pronoun (PGP)?
Personal gender pronouns (PGPs) are the pronouns that people use for themselves.
Why is this important?
As a community, we readily accept the use of nick names rather than someone’s full name. Names, much like gender pronouns, reflect part of who we are.
Gender Pronouns not only reflect identity, much like nick names do, but they also contain with them sociocultural implications that ultimately can constitute a deeper sense of self.
Correctly using someone’s PGP is one of the most basic ways to show your respect of that individual’s identity, much like we already show respect for the name they go by.
What do the PGPs mean? The following is not an exhaustive list of PGPs: They / Them / Theirs = These pronouns reflect gender non-binary identities. She / Her/ Hers = These pronouns reflect Female/ Woman / Feminine gender identities. He / Him / His = These pronouns reflect Male / Man / Masculine gender identities.
Why include your PGP in your email signature?
Including your PGP in your email signature helps to normalize and de-stigmatize non-binary gender pronouns.
Gender is not always reflected or cued by someone’s outward appearance. Including PGPs in email signatures ensure we respect everyone’s identity.
If people of all genders include their PGPs in their email signatures, then no one will feel singled out for doing so, and we’ll all be helping to increase awareness of this subtle language bias. Including your PGP in your email signature is an easy step to be an ally.
What else can I do?
There are every day situations where this subtle language bias comes into play. For example, rather than writing “his or hers” use “their”. This acknowledges that gender is not a binary.
If you’re involved in taking gender demographic data, ensure you ask for gender non-binary options. For example, Facebook asks for Man, Woman, Non-Binary, Prefer to self-describe, and Prefer not to answer.
Some helpful links
https://www.mypronouns.org/what-and-why
https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/blog/archive/why-pronouns-are-important
https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/diversity-inclusion/pronouns/signatures
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