Corporate office and diversity or inclusion

[jxabunting]

Jurisdiction

Oregon

I am an employee at a large company. My question is regarding the workplace and the LGBTQ community.
When I go to work, I don't see people as anything other than people. What they do in their own home and in the privacy of their bedroom is something I do not care to know about. That goes for everyone.
My company has become all inclusive, accepting, and adapting to the LGBTQ community. I don't have a problem with that, but when I start getting emails in my company emails about what the company is involved in or asking us to be a part of is crossing a line in my book.
Let's be honest...hetero people don't go around announcing their sexual preferences so why is it suddenly okay for the LGBTQ community to bring their preferences into my work place? It was recently suggested that those of us that have email consider using the pronouns under our signatures. This left me feeling very uncomfortable because it crossed over from being company acceptance, to asking me to accept and agree to add this to my email.
I do not see why the world has suddenly become okay with people shoving sexual preferences, choices, life styles, ect...
When I go to work I work with people. Once again I don't want to know that you sleep with a man or a woman and I certainly don't judge someone on their preferences. What I want is to go to work and not feel like my employer is bringing sex into our daily business. I am fine with the line of Pride products we sell.
Again, I don't ask for people to accept my choices in sex, religion or beliefs.
In my book this is going too far in an office setting. I understand that they want us to accept and adapt to these changes because of discrimination. There never should have been the subject at work of whether you are a man that likes to wear dress, or discuss a sex change in the break room.
My problem is that it asks others to participate in identifying them selves by a pronoun in a signature, and the fear of being titled a racist, bigot or hermaphobe is very real, if we choose not to.
I think it is wonderful that my company read the request for Mr. /Mrs. to change in our ordering process. It is perfectly fine to say Mr./Mr. on an order form, however, I draw the line at putting she, her, hers on MY signature. I almost feel like it is a form of sexual harassment at work. Honestly, because at the end of the day this is about a person sexual preferences and it DOES not need to be in the workplace.

 

[justblue]

I am an employee at a large company. My question is regarding the workplace and the LGBTQ community.
When I go to work, I don't see people as anything other than people. What they do in their own home and in the privacy of their bedroom is something I do not care to know about. That goes for everyone.
My company has become all inclusive, accepting, and adapting to the LGBTQ community. I don't have a problem with that, but when I start getting emails in my company emails about what the company is involved in or asking us to be a part of is crossing a line in my book.
Let's be honest...hetero people don't go around announcing their sexual preferences so why is it suddenly okay for the LGBTQ community to bring their preferences into my work place? It was recently suggested that those of us that have email consider using the pronouns under our signatures. This left me feeling very uncomfortable because it crossed over from being company acceptance, to asking me to accept and agree to add this to my email.
I do not see why the world has suddenly become okay with people shoving sexual preferences, choices, life styles, ect...
When I go to work I work with people. Once again I don't want to know that you sleep with a man or a woman and I certainly don't judge someone on their preferences. What I want is to go to work and not feel like my employer is bringing sex into our daily business. I am fine with the line of Pride products we sell.
Again, I don't ask for people to accept my choices in sex, religion or beliefs.
In my book this is going too far in an office setting. I understand that they want us to accept and adapt to these changes because of discrimination. There never should have been the subject at work of whether you are a man that likes to wear dress, or discuss a sex change in the break room.
My problem is that it asks others to participate in identifying them selves by a pronoun in a signature, and the fear of being titled a racist, bigot or hermaphobe is very real, if we choose not to.
I think it is wonderful that my company read the request for Mr. /Mrs. to change in our ordering process. It is perfectly fine to say Mr./Mr. on an order form, however, I draw the line at putting she, her, hers on MY signature. I almost feel like it is a form of sexual harassment at work. Honestly, because at the end of the day this is about a person sexual preferences and it DOES not need to be in the workplace.

I bolded the only question you asked and that is not a legal question. I suggest you talk to HR about your issues with your company's policies.
If it really bothers you, you can always look for new employment.


As an aside: Nothing you wrote indicates that your employer is "sexually harassing" you.


@cbg

 

[army judge]

In my book this is going too far in an office setting. I understand that they want us to accept and adapt to these changes because of discrimination. There never should have been the subject at work of whether you are a man that likes to wear dress, or discuss a sex change in the break room.

I've learned many things during my time on this planet.

Of those many lessons learned, the most important ones I acquired at an early age.

Among those childhood learnings I count the ability to IGNORE things I found to be uncouth, distasteful, annoying, embarrassing, or weird.

Once I mastered my ability to ignore unwanted intrusions into my inner sanctum, life got easier.

I suggest you don't bother reading emails you find too off putting.

Stay away from large gatherings, if possible.

If you're required to attend distasteful events, daydreaming is another ability you should master.

You'll figure it out, as I did, if you try various techniques.

You'll be surprised what wearing a headset, listening to music you enjoy can do to keep you sane, calm, and pure of thought and deed.

 

[adjusterjack]

t was recently suggested that those of us that have email consider using the pronouns under our signatures.

I'm not even sure I understand what you are talking about.

Is it something like:

John Smith
VP of Sales (transgender)

Dana Stewart
Customer Service Representative (lesbian)

Glenn-Glenda Jones
Secretary (Hell if I Know What I am)

Please give an example of what you would be required to write under your signature.

I'm not getting it.

 

[Tax Counsel]

Please give an example of what you would be required to write under your signature.

I'm not getting it.

It doesn't requiring stating your gender or sexual preferences. It just tells others which pronouns you wish them to use with respect to you. Thus, it would be something like this:

John Doe
Preferred pronouns: he/him/his​

or:

Mary Jones
Preferred pronouns: they/them/theirs
​

This kind of thing has become pretty common in more liberal college campuses and is now spreading to the more "woke" businesses out there. It is certainly not surprising that an employer who sells Pride products would want to be seen employing a business culture that reflects its customers.

No law requires employers to have employees do it, nor does any law prohibit any employer from asking employees to do it. There are no significant court rulings one way or the other yet. The ones that do are trying to be more inclusive of their LBGTQ+ employees under the idea that all people should be referred to by the pronouns they prefer. No doubt to a lot of non LBGTQ+ folks that seems strange, especially to the older employees. Only time will tell just how common a practice this becomes. As with a lot of things in the area of equality and LBGTQ+ people there is right now a lot of confusion about what is the right thing to do, and it's going to take time for society to sort it out.

 

[Zigner]

I am an employee at a large company.
...
Honestly, because at the end of the day this is about a person sexual preferences and it DOES not need to be in the workplace.

QUIT - that'll show 'em!

 

[cbg]

I am heterosexual, and my preferred pronouns are she/her.

A co-worker of mine is a lesbian, and her preferred pronouns are also she/her.

Please explain how having this posted under our signatures says anything about our sexual preferences or is bringing sex into the workplace.

 

[army judge]

I have no preferred pronouns.
I prefer that people AVOID me.
I prefer that people I don't know IGNORE me.

 

[justblue]

I have no preferred pronouns.
I prefer that people AVOID me.
I prefer that people I don't know IGNORE me.

Army Judge
(Curmudgeon, Recluse, Hermit.)

 

[army judge]

Army Judge
(Curmudgeon, Recluse, Hermit.)

True, all true.

My wife calls me an introvert.

I can't disagree with the truth.

 

[Disabled Vet]

My preferred is simple... Normal/Safe from bio-hazard waste.

 

[hrforme]

Army Judge
(Curmudgeon, Recluse, Hermit.)

I want to be Bit Bop Boop......

 

[adjusterjack]

I want to be referred to as "it."

 

[justblue]

I want to be referred to as "it."

Only if you float.

 

[cynthiag]

When I go to work, I don't see people as anything other than people. What they do in their own home and in the privacy of their bedroom is something I do not care to know about.
Let's be honest...hetero people don't go around announcing their sexual preferences so why is it suddenly okay for the LGBTQ community to bring their preferences into my work place?
I do not see why the world has suddenly become okay with people shoving sexual preferences, choices, life styles, ect...
When I go to work I work with people. Once again I don't want to know that you sleep with a man or a woman and I certainly don't judge someone on their preferences. What I want is to go to work and not feel like my employer is bringing sex into our daily business. I am fine with the line of Pride products we sell.
I think it is wonderful that my company read the request for Mr. /Mrs. to change in our ordering process. It is perfectly fine to say Mr./Mr. on an order form, however, I draw the line at putting she, her, hers on MY signature. I almost feel like it is a form of sexual harassment at work. Honestly, because at the end of the day this is about a person sexual preferences and it DOES not need to be in the workplace.

It seems to me, from the number of references I've highlighted in bold from your post, that you are the one who is trying to make this all about sex and sexual preference.

Do you really not understand that pronoun use is in regard to gender and not sexual preference?
Saying that my preferred pronouns are she/her means nothing in terms of my actual sexuality. I could be straight, lesbian, bisexual, or asexual for all you know. If I decide to change it up and use they/them as my pronouns, what does that tell you about my sex life? Once again, nothing.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Please explain how having this posted under our signatures says anything about our sexual preferences or is bringing sex into the workplace.

Do you really not understand that pronoun use is in regard to gender and not sexual preference?

You both realize that the court's expansion of the word "sex" in to meaning "sexual preference" and "non-birth sexual identity" is the only reason that LGBTQ+ people have any protection under the various civil rights laws. This is because once again Congress has not done its' job an relied on the courts.

 

[cbg]

Which does not make the OP's premise any less flawed.