Gransnet forums

Chat

Has the world gone mad?

(11 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Wed 29-Apr-26 18:54:24

In a social setting where it might be relevant I have no problem with someone saying that they prefer to be addressed as they or whatever, but it has no place in professional communications.

As I said above, I am sure a great deal of time was wasted in meetings about all this before a decision was made. I would prefer them to be just getting on with their jobs.

ClicketyClick Wed 29-Apr-26 18:39:06

A friend experienced this at work. Staff were told to amend their email/letter templates to read as 'they' and also to not start any correspondence to 'Dear Mr, Mrs, Miss etc. That that was to be cut out completely. Also within the body of any correspondence staff were told to use 'they' eg your complaint has been forwarded to the manager and they will .....(Not he/she) Being old school my friend refused point blank to change her signature so when told it was not up for discussion, she said it was affecting her human rights to address herself under the gender she was born and lived by and it should be the individual staffs choice to follow this or not. They didn't pursue it any further with her.

ViceVersa Wed 29-Apr-26 18:35:35

Galaxy

It is declaring a political belief and as such not something that should be done at work.

Indeed.

Galaxy Wed 29-Apr-26 17:58:52

It is declaring a political belief and as such not something that should be done at work.

Whiff Wed 29-Apr-26 17:36:18

I had an email and the woman had put she/ her after here name . So when I replied I put WOMAN after my name when she replied to the email she just put her name . I think she got the point .

Luckygirl3 Wed 29-Apr-26 17:27:27

I really don't care if they call me a he, she or them as long as they take care of my their/them/its ailments. - exactly. I simply do not need to know this entirely irrelevant piece of information about the writer.

Luckygirl3 Wed 29-Apr-26 17:25:06

I am absolutely happy for people to live the life they want to as long as they do so without harming others, but on a professional communication the writer's gender preferences are totally irrelevant to the matter in hand and have no place on these letters.

It might as well say: John Smith, likes jazz - it is nothing to do with the professional approach.

My DGC knows that their preferences are their own and they never get on a bandwagon forcing these into people's faces. They just quietly get on with their life. They have my support to be themself.

butterandjam Wed 29-Apr-26 17:17:52

I'm afraid it is people like your beloved family member, who have led to employees being asked to publically declare their preferred pronouns.

Perhaps "John" is on a genderfluid journey other people find confusing because he still has prominent breasts or is visibly pregnant.

Macaydia Wed 29-Apr-26 17:00:52

*butchery OF the English language (Oh my ! It's contagious)

Macaydia Wed 29-Apr-26 16:58:19

Well you certainly got that off your chest, Luckygirl. I have seen the he/him/his on the signature lines of medical communication for years now and I understand it to be a signal that the workplace is respectful to hims that prefer to be called she or shes that want to be hes. In my thoughts, it's a butchery to the English language because I cant imagine trying to read literature with this 21st century grammer but my thoughts are quiet since I am elderly and I will watch with amusement what the next generation decides. I really dont care if they call me a he she or them as long as they take care of my there/them/its ailments.

Luckygirl3 Wed 29-Apr-26 16:42:21

I have just had cause to communicate with PALS at my local hospital after dreadfully rude treatment from a staff member in the pacemaker clinic.
I have had an email reply that is signed:
John Smith
He/him/his

What the hell?

I do not want to join the "what is the world coming to?" brigade, and I am grandmother to a dearly loved young person who is changing from one gender to the other, but I do not need to have this garbage thrust at me on a hospital communication. It is entirely irrelevant to the matter in hand and of no interest to anyone whoever.

How many meetings I wonder did it take for this policy to be decided? In the meantime patients are enduring a poor service.

Sorry folks .. I needed to get that off my chest!