It's 2020, and it's time to move aside the design gatekeeping and design standards that do not serve us anymore.
When I had the chance to lead a rebrand for Shoprunner last year I was beyond excited not only to redesign the consumer facing brand experience but to really rethink our brand collateral to be more inclusive.
As someone that is most often the most senior out non-binary trans person in an organization I feel a great sense of accountability to create a safer space for other under represented peers. I have been in many companies and agencies that claim to be inclusive but fail on the most basic level to validate myself and other LGBTQ+ peers in ways that feel good to us.
It's 2020, and it's time to move aside the design gatekeeping and design standards that do not serve us anymore. Frequently, folks come into work only to get misgendered by others in their office, and by the many clients, they interact with. This misgendering is exhausting and upsetting for non-binary, trans, and two-spirit folks.
Adding pronouns to materials and using gender-neutral language when you are unsure of someone's pronouns creates a space that normalizes and respects different identities. Looking from an HR and talent perspective, this type of inclusion can attract passionate talent looking for a diverse workplace. When interviewing candidates for my team, they often mentioned how wonderful it felt to be included and their pronouns respected throughout the organization and hiring process. Adding pronouns to email signatures, business cards, and throughout other internal collateral helps create a safe and inclusive space for all.
If you're looking to make the change to add pronouns to your collateral, below is a helpful list of where to start. You can also encourage other leaders and stakeholders in your company to make pronouns a part of their collateral and all internal communications. If you have any questions regarding what this process looks like or would like to hire me to consult on an intuitive such as this for your organization, you can goto my contact page to reach me.
