Why are there pronouns in our email signatures?
You may have noticed a new addition to some of our email signatures: Our personal pronouns.
What are pronouns?
Pronouns are the words we use to refer to someone or something instead of using their names. We use pronouns all the time! For example, you might say “This is my friend. She wants to join our Camp Fire club!” In that sentence, “she” is the pronoun.
There are lots of pronouns someone might use, including
She/Her/Hers
He/Him/His
They/Them/Theirs
Ze/Hir/Hirs
There are many different personal pronouns in use today!
Many Camp Fire Snohomish County staff now list their personal pronouns in their email signatures. Why?
Camp Fire actively welcomes our transgender and nonbinary young people, coworkers, volunteers, and donors. Sharing our personal pronouns affirms our belief that every person has the right to define their own identity. Putting our personal pronouns in our email signatures is an easy way for us to let people know we honor those definitions, and that we want to know their pronouns, too!
This is another small step in Camp Fire’s long tradition of inclusivity. Using names that youth choose for themselves is not new in Camp Fire – we’ve been doing it for over 100 years! In Camp Fire, everyone is welcome.
Including your personal pronouns in your email signature and when you introduce yourself is just one way to make the world – and Camp Fire – a more friendly and welcoming place for trans and non-binary people.
Try it out the next time you introduce yourself! “Hi, my name is _______ and my pronouns are ________.”
How can I learn more?
There are lots of great sites online with more information! Here’s a few to get you started:
The Camp Accessibility, Meaningful Participation, and Equal Representation (CAMPER) Initiative that Camp Killoqua is proudly taking part in
Young people want to shape the world.
Camp Fire provides the opportunity to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are.
In Camp Fire, it begins now.
