Revealed: the transgender email

Transgender etiquette has produced a new linguistic complication at leading British universities.

Students and academics are being encouraged to sign their emails with their names, titles, telephone numbers and whether they prefer to be known as he or she — or another option.

The addition of “he/him”, “she/her” or “they/them” to the end of emails is intended to “normalise the use of gender pronouns” — and prevent transgender students from being wrongly addressed.

Students at Oxford are also being invited to declare their preferred pronouns before speaking at union meetings.

“It’s a simple courtesy like checking you’re using someone’s name correctly,” said Aisling Murray, who adds “she/her” to emails she sends as society and citizenship officer at Sussex University.

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