Adding preferred pronouns to my email signature
A few weeks ago, I worked with Moira Rosek to host Julia from UConn's Rainbow Center to offer a Husky Safe Zone training at the GBLC. This was part of an effort we are calling Dignity x Diversity to invite graduate school of business students to conversations regarding issues of women in business, LGBTQ+, and people of color.
It was not my first time being exposed to this content, although it had been a while. One thing it had me think about was how I encourage everyday openness and judgement-free zones among my peers, friends, and those around me. One such act is adding my preferred pronouns to my email signature. Now, I personally have not yet ever found myself offended by this, but it became blatantly obvious to me that by including this in my correspondence it signals to others that I am aware and want to honor others' preferences. I make mistakes and I might not ever think to ask how someone wishes to be referred — that's on me, I own that — but I do hope this small gesture indicates to someone else my willingness to hear them, to be corrected, and to make corrections.
It is not ours to sit back and expect those who are made uncomfortable by our own misuse of pronouns to speak up. Their burden is not to educate us. It is our place to be considerate and realize this is another opportunity to be mindful of others. While it is convenient that the pronouns I align with are the default pronouns others use for me, the same cannot be said for everyone. By acknowleding my pronouns, it acts as a reminder for me to consider others' circumstances and signals to others my desire to act on those considerations for them.