Diversity and Inclusion

• When cisgender people include pronouns, it normalises the practice for everyone and helps protect trans and gender diverse people when they include their pronouns.
• Having pronouns in an email signature signals you as an LGBTQIA+ ally,
• It helps educate others who you interact with in a safe and affirming environment so people encountering varied pronouns for the first time know what to expect when seeing a non cisgendered person using their pronouns.
• It demonstrates that you value and support genuine and impactful diversity & inclusion practice.

• In your email signature, add your pronouns after your name – some commonly used pronouns are: (she/her) (he/him) (they/them) (ze/zir) – however any combination of them, or anything that reflects a persons gender identity is appropriate.
• Use a hyperlink to this webpage about pronouns so people can learn more.
• Avoid using the phrase ‘preferred pronouns’ – the inclusion of the word ‘preferred’ can imply that it’s optional to use a person’s correct pronouns. It is not optional or a preference, everyone has a right to be referred to by their name and correct pronouns. 

• Start meetings with each attendee sharing their name and pronouns.
• Add your pronouns next to your name on Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Zoom.
• Include your pronouns in your LinkedIn profile by adding them after your last name.
• Ask people politely what pronouns they use – we shouldn’t assume pronouns based on appearance, name or any other factor.
• Don’t use the term ‘preferred’ or ‘gender’ pronouns - although people often mean well when they use these terms it can imply that pronoun selection is a preference rather than a requirement and using ‘gender’ can ignore agender people.
• If you get pronouns or a name wrong, it’s good to nonchalantly correct yourself without making a fuss, or even acknowledge the mistake privately and try to get it right next time.
• Be an active ally and help others understand why this is important.

Someone who feels neutral towards their gender and rejects the influence of gender on their person.

Someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.

A person whose gender identity or gender expression differs from a given society’s dominant gender roles. Gender diverse can refer to those who are transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, or have other identities outside the gender binary.

A gender identity that falls outside of the gender binary, people who identify as genderqueer may identify as neither, both, or a combination of male and female identities.

An umbrella term used to describe over 40 variations of sex characteristics where the sexual anatomy, chromosomes or hormones do not fit the binary of male or female (i.e. being born with some male anatomy and some female anatomy)​.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and other rainbow identities.

A gender identity that falls outside the binary of men and women and that is not exclusively masculine or feminine, some people who identify as non-binary also identify as trans since many non-binary folks identify with a gender that is different from their sex assigned at birth​.

A term that is similar to mixed gender or gender non-binary, or transgender not-otherwise specified. This term (like takatāpui) speaks to the intersection of Māori and non-cisgender identity. 

Roughly translates as trans man.

Takatāpui refers to Māori who are not heterosexual and/or not cisgender. It is used both as a gender identity (similar to transgender), as an attraction or sexual orientation (similar to lesbian, gay, bi, or pansexual). It is also used as an umbrella term for all non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender Māori people (similar to ‘Rainbow Community’).

Someone whose gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Roughly translates as trans man.

This roughly translates as trans woman. It more literally translates to being or becoming, in the manner or spirit of a woman. Many Māori trans women are whakawahine, love this term and prefer it over transgender. Some Māori trans women feel that ‘whaka’ or ‘to create or become’ insinuates that they are not women, and therefore reject this term on that basis, often preferring Taahine or Takatāpui.