Pronoun Visibility Feature

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

One potential enhancement to user profiles could be the inclusion of a dedicated pronoun field, allowing individuals to clearly indicate how they wish to be addressed. This feature would serve multiple purposes, both practical and cultural. From a usability standpoint, it helps reduce ambiguity in communication, especially in platforms where users interact frequently in comments, messages, or collaborative spaces. Knowing someone’s pronouns upfront can prevent misgendering, which not only improves user experience but also fosters a more respectful and inclusive environment.

From a design perspective, this could be implemented as an optional field during account creation or profile editing, with common pronoun sets like "she/her," "he/him," "they/them," and customizable options for users who prefer neopronouns or other identifiers. Displaying pronouns visibly, either next to usernames, in bios, or on hover would make it easy for others to refer to users correctly without needing to ask or assume.

The inclusion of pronouns also signals a platform’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. In recent years, many digital communities, social networks, and professional platforms have adopted this feature in response to growing awareness around gender identity and expression. It’s a small but meaningful step toward normalizing gender inclusivity and making all users feel seen and respected.

Moreover, this kind of feature can be especially valuable in global or multilingual communities, where cultural norms around gender may vary. By giving users control over how they’re identified, platforms can better accommodate a wide range of identities and foster cross-cultural understanding.

In summary, adding a pronoun option to user profiles is not just a technical tweak, it’s a thoughtful design choice that enhances communication, supports identity, and reflects a platform’s values. It’s a simple yet powerful way to make digital spaces more welcoming for everyone.

To members apart of the LGBTQ community: As we advocate for features like pronoun visibility to promote inclusivity and respect, it's equally important to approach these tools with compassion and patience. While misgendering can be hurtful, it's often unintentional, especially in digital spaces where people are still learning. The goal of adding pronouns to profiles should be to foster understanding, not to shame or call out those who make honest mistakes, long story short, assuming gender is completely okay.

 

[Yousef Yousef]

One potential enhancement to user profiles could be the inclusion of a dedicated pronoun field, allowing individuals to clearly indicate how they wish to be addressed. This feature would serve multiple purposes, both practical and cultural. From a usability standpoint, it helps reduce ambiguity in communication, especially in platforms where users interact frequently in comments, messages, or collaborative spaces. Knowing someone’s pronouns upfront can prevent misgendering, which not only improves user experience but also fosters a more respectful and inclusive environment.

From a design perspective, this could be implemented as an optional field during account creation or profile editing, with common pronoun sets like "she/her," "he/him," "they/them," and customizable options for users who prefer neopronouns or other identifiers. Displaying pronouns visibly, either next to usernames, in bios, or on hover would make it easy for others to refer to users correctly without needing to ask or assume.

The inclusion of pronouns also signals a platform’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. In recent years, many digital communities, social networks, and professional platforms have adopted this feature in response to growing awareness around gender identity and expression. It’s a small but meaningful step toward normalizing gender inclusivity and making all users feel seen and respected.

Moreover, this kind of feature can be especially valuable in global or multilingual communities, where cultural norms around gender may vary. By giving users control over how they’re identified, platforms can better accommodate a wide range of identities and foster cross-cultural understanding.

In summary, adding a pronoun option to user profiles is not just a technical tweak, it’s a thoughtful design choice that enhances communication, supports identity, and reflects a platform’s values. It’s a simple yet powerful way to make digital spaces more welcoming for everyone.

Edit: As we advocate for features like pronoun visibility to promote inclusivity and respect, it's equally important to approach these tools with compassion and patience. While misgendering can be hurtful, it's often unintentional, especially in digital spaces where people are still learning. The goal of adding pronouns to profiles should be to foster understanding, not to shame or call out those who make honest mistakes.

Good idea. Pokémon showdown forums had this too so it doesn’t seem tough to implement. If I run into spike next time I’ll probably bring this up, if i remember. We do have our hands full a bit though. I haven’t seen any of the mods online lately so there’s no one really to chime with on this besides me I guess. Once the lads get together this’ll be a cool discussion, it sounds fun.

 

[Tonberry]

Sounds good!
People can be oddly sensitive about this stuff, so I would like to add that the best option (in my experience) as far as visibility goes would be to simply omit the field if it’s not checked in.

 

[Morgana Veil]

You know, after that little debacle that happened with the story a month or so ago involving the Writers Guild and people getting upset over the trans issue in games, it might not be the best idea. I mean some users, like @Tonberry Stated are sensitive about it, but it cuts both ways.

Some people see a pronoun in a name or handle, and it triggers an innate auto hate function in their brain. I don't care either way if someone has or doesn't have pronouns or whatever, I just call everyone by their username and not She or He. But you know there are the asshole users just looking for a reason to start more drama and BS.

And it did cause a few users to leave because of it.

 

[ZEGA ZONIC]

They can always pull the plug if it causes trouble in any way.

 

[Miles Miles]

It sounds like a good feature to have.

 

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

You know, after that little debacle that happened with the story a month or so ago involving the Writers Guild and people getting upset over the trans issue in games, it might not be the best idea. I mean some users, like @Tonberry Stated are sensitive about it, but it cuts both ways.

Some people see a pronoun in a name or handle, and it triggers an innate auto hate function in their brain. I don't care either way if someone has or doesn't have pronouns or whatever, I just call everyone by their username and not She or He. But you know there are the asshole users just looking for a reason to start more drama and BS.

And it did cause a few users to leave because of it.

That’s a bit of a stretch. The idea that pronouns in a username automatically trigger “hate” isn’t a reason to avoid inclusive features, it’s a reason to address toxic behavior. If a few users left because they couldn’t handle seeing someone’s pronouns, that says more about them than it does about the feature itself.

Plenty of platforms, Discord, GitHub, Reddit, even major gaming forums have implemented pronoun options without mass drama. The Writers Guild situation was about broader representation in media, not a simple profile field. Conflating the two just muddies the waters.

Also, saying “I just use usernames” doesn’t solve the problem, it avoids it. Misgendering still happens, and having pronouns visible helps prevent that. The goal isn’t to force anyone to care, it’s to give people the option to be addressed correctly. If someone chooses not to use it, fine. But the option should exist for those who do.

Drama only happens when people make it happen. The feature itself isn’t the issue, it’s how people choose to react to it.

 

[RetroDude123]

This is a good idea!

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

It could work both ways good and bad it might give this place the spirit of equality and inclusion and yet there’s some people who’s not open to this idea and even use it to target certain individuals.

 

[vulonkaaz's iconvulonkaaz]

what's wrong with just adding it to the signature or username or title ?

 

[RetroDude123]

what's wrong with just adding it to the signature or username or title ?

Literally no one does that.

 

[chxshire22]

Literally no one does that.

but they can, if they really want to display their pronouns

 

[Bonkers225]

No please. Just no.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

It begings..

In summary, adding a pronoun option to user profiles is not just a technical tweak, it’s a thoughtful design choice that enhances communication, supports identity, and reflects a platform’s values. It’s a simple yet powerful way to make digital spaces more welcoming for everyone.

Now I gotta be given sensitivity training on hobbyist forums too, and complete with corporate speech

Man the internet isnt what it used to be..

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

Im for anonymity on the net .
I say its not needed overall .

 

[Kamako]

This is a welcome suggestion but one that is currently hard to justify, as Users already have the ability to state their preferred pronouns in either their signature or sub-header, but many choose not to, as this is essentially an anonymous forum.
We want everyone here to feel as comfortable as possible. To prevent this thread from descending into mud-slinging, this thread will now be locked.

Thank you for understanding.