I’ve just seen a 5-word tweet that makes my blood run cold.
“Work is introducing pronoun pins.”
I think “is introducing” here means “wearing them is not optional.”
Why stop at pronouns? Why not pins to point out all the obvious? How about species? Nationality? Height and weight? Age? Address? Politics? Voting record? Grades? Tax history? Religion? Favorite foods?
Grown up people don’t want to walk around wearing labels telling the world what brand we are. I wouldn’t want to wear a pin saying “woman,” either, because duh. Plus…it’s work. It’s not home, it’s not the coffee shop, it’s not a clubhouse. It’s work. It’s already a place where people get to tell you what to do (unless you’re the owner or CEO), because that’s the nature of work, so adding creepy “pins” to the mix is not appropriate.
Comments
17 responses to “Introducing”
If they do, they will need to make sure they are customizable, because who is to say that “qzkqzz3” isn’t a pronoun?
“… who is to say that “qzkqzz3” isn’t a pronoun?”
It sure isn’t pronoun-ceable.
As long as you identify as “qzkqzz3” I don’t see what objection there could possibly be. Can I be a “qzkqzz3” too? I think we should include the quotation marks.
Also cheers for “pronoun-ceable.”
When I speak with you, I use nouns.
When I speak about you, I use pronouns. As you are unlikely to be there when I speak about you, why should you need to know what pronouns I use?
If someone needs your help, I won’t be saying “Go see (pronoun) over there”, I will be saying go see (Name) over there”.
I’d actually find this hilarious and would make a big show of checking everyone’s pronouns before using them. The more obviously male/female they were, the funnier it would be.
At first I wondered what a “qzkqzz3” might be, but then I read that the definition is “anyone who identifies as a qzkqzz3” and I thought well, okay then.
Ah yes – go up to everyone and peer at their pins and go “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I would never have guessed.” That would be hilarious. (Mind you it would also get one fired.)
Sastra@7:
My pronoun pin would read “qzkqzz4”, which means “anyone who doesn’t identify as a qzkqzz4”.
Roj, #5:
There are occasions where one would use someone’s pronouns in their presence.
At a work meeting, for example, a manager might say to those present, including Marjorie, “Marjorie is to lead this project and she will be assigning roles to the team working for her”.
If Marjorie was once Mark and the manager was uncomfortable with using female pronouns for somebody she knew to be a man, that sentence could be easily re-worded to “Marjorie is to lead this project and [now addressing Marjorie] you will be assigning roles to the team working for you”.
A more sarcastic manager, however, could avoid the pronouns altogether by saying “Marjorie is to lead this project and Marjorie will be assigning roles to the team working for Marjorie.” This would be my preferred opttion, especially if Marjorie was a stickler for (in)correct pronoun use.
AoS, I have a good imagination.
It could be worded as “Marjorie is to lead this project and will be assigning roles to the team.”
Fewer words. Same meaning.
True, Roj (and I don’t doubt your imagination for a second), but I just like the thought of using the name rather than pronouns. Even better: if Marjorie insisted on ‘they/them’ pronouns one could replace them with either ‘Marjorie et al‘ or ‘the Marjories’ at every opportunity.
Thank you, Ophelia. I do miss that preview button.
Re @latsot #9
Applause. Nice one.
AoS, wouldn’t that be Marjorie and the Marjoriettes?
I identify as Azathoth, and if you lot don’t get my pronouns correct – they will be written in an ancient text that makes your eyes bleed and turns you blind – you are totally fucked.
You know where else wearing pins to indicate one’s status to others is compulsory? [Clue: its Supreme Leader has issues around obesity.]
Richard – not to mention the Jewish stars in Nazi Germany (and other places). Wearing that sort of badge labels you. Oh, you look female; you go by she/her; you must be a boring old cis-woman. Get out of my way, colonial imperialist baby-eater. You must go down. The great god PZ gave us permission to punch you.
Wearing labels is a way of determining who is who when the oppressors are ready to oppress.
Our new online platform has a place to put in your pronouns; the last time I checked, almost no one had. One person had put in her pronouns (and I am safe saying “her”, since she has posted her pronouns, and I am not at risk of misgendering her).