Brighton council has set every Daily Mail commentator’s eyes bulging and knee jerking by giving staff ‘gender ID badges’ – to display their preferred pronoun.
Brighton and Hove City Council have launched the scheme to offer staff a safe space to define their own gender in a new city wide campaign which will include local nurses and doctors – by wearing a badge.
The badges read “My Pronouns are” and then give the wearer a chance to choose between they, their, she, her, hers and he or him.
Other badges leave a white space for users to fill in or while others say “please use my name”.
The new scheme, which aims to improve awareness of non-binary and gender-fluid people, will be available to all council run organisations and the public from 26 March.
Chair of the Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equalities Committee Emma Daniel has backed the plan which will give staff “more freedom and safety to be ourselves”.
She said: “We define our own gender and we should respect other people’s identities and rights.
“Now there is more freedom and safety to be ourselves.
“But there’s still more to do.
“Who a person is may not match what you expect and may not be defined easily.
“If someone’s pronouns differ from what you assume, it’s for you to adapt and it’s okay to ask.”
Brighton and Hove City Council say the campaign is to mark Trans Day of Visibility on 30 March.
The campaign was created by support from groups including the Trans Alliance, the University of Brighton and Sussex Police and the council’s LGBT Workers Forum.
Ms Daniel added: “We’re proud of being a diverse city, and the council is committed to equality and inclusion for all people including our trans and non-binary residents.
“Read the badge, respect people, it’s that easy.”
The following badges will be available:
- She, her, hers
- He, him, his
- They their theirs
- Please use my name
- Blank, for the wearer to fill in
- #MyPronounsAre
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