Staff at one of Scotland’s top universities have started including their preferred gender pronouns in official emails.
Support workers at Strathclyde University now declare whether they identify in communications as male, female or non-binary.
Bosses at the uni have also set up a team dedicated to help students change their “known as” name on records.
The move comes following Strathclyde’s commitment to “recognise the unique issues faced by trans and non-binary students”.
A source said: “More emails from staff are starting to include how they wish to be described.
“It has been met with support in some quarters and derision in others. The pronouns have been attached to their signatures over the last couple of weeks. It’s a sign of the times.”
LGBT activists say a person’s gender can’t be identified by simply looking at them.
Edinburgh University handed out “pronoun badges” at its freshers fair in 2018. Oxford University has also encouraged employees and students to say which pronoun they prefer in their emails.
A Strathclyde University spokesperson said: “It is optional whether staff specify preferred pronouns in email signatures.”
Rachel Cairns, the student union’s vice-president of inclusion, said: “It’s a perfect example of something small that
everyone can do to make gender diverse students feel welcome on our campus.”
