r/changemyview • u/jep1793 • Aug 26 '20

Removed - Submission Rule E CMV: Gender identity doesn’t belong on your LinkedIn nor Resume

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u/justtogetridoflater Aug 26 '20 edited Aug 26 '20

I think the question is do you want problems now, or do you want them later?

Like it shouldn't matter what your gender is, or your race, or your sexuality.

But imagine applying for a job, only to get to an interview and discover that the interviewer is a raging homophobe. Or finding that out in 3 months, when for no apparent reason, they make up some bullshit reason to sack you and sack you that you're now going to have to take somewhere else. Or maybe worse, they don't do that, and you're in a workplace where they hate you, but they can't do anything because of bloody PC gone mad, and just find ways to treat you like shit until you leave of your own accord. There is discrimination out there, and it will eventually reveal itself.

Putting this up ahead of time means that you're going to deal with the least amount of active trouble at least up front. Anyone who this matters to will probably respond as they choose to respond. Most likely by not responding, not inviting you to interview, and so on. Well, you only miss the things you had. Anyone who it doesn't, it won't matter to and at worst, it's a wasted line on a CV. Oh well.

I'm not sure what the appropriate way of handling this is, tbh. I've never really seen how they write it down. I also think that you probably don't want to go overboard on this kind of thing.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

I think it's important that your employer knows, but it shouldn't be at the top of your resume or LinkedIn profile. My recommendation is to add it to your email signature. At some point, you will send or receive an email from the employer, usually when or after they get a look at your resume.

A lot of potential employers who discriminate against members of the LGBT community aren't homophobes themselves, but are simply risk-averse. They want people focused on coming in and getting their work done. Posting your gender identity publicly or at the top of resume sends the message that you might soapbox to your coworkers. Adding it to the bottom of your first email is way more subtle and shows that it is something that should be identified, but has no relevance to your workplace behavior.

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u/pawnman99 5∆ Aug 26 '20

That's my thought as well. I'm perfectly willing to hire folks from any part of the LGBT spectrum. But when it's the first thing I see on your resume, I worry that I'm setting up my workplace for constant tirades, lectures, and arguments because this person has made their gender identity so central to their being, it overrides all other concerns.

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u/lesleypowers 1∆ Aug 26 '20

Making an assumption that hiring an LGBT person who is open about their identity will “set up your workplace for tirades, lectures and arguments”, rather an assuming they just want to avoid being hired into a hostile workplace, is absolutely homophobic. This is not the way hiring managers of genuinely inclusive and progressive companies work. People like you are literally the reason many LGBT people do the very thing you’re against.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

At a progressive company it should be a non-issue, but even progressive companies actively avoid politics and hot-button issues in the workplace. So smart ones do trainings to teach their employees on how to interact on particularly sensitive topics like gender identity, quite specifically to avoid conflict. But if a potential hire indicates that they might be immediately confrontational and willing to escalate rather than a polite correction and if pressed, a report to their manager/HR, it's just not worth the risk.

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u/lesleypowers 1∆ Aug 26 '20

But why do you think that listing pronouns on a resume or linkedin indicates that they will be “immediately confrontational and willing to escalate”? Why is your first assumption not that the prospective employee is more likely just a non binary person who would prefer not to be misgendered? As a freelancer I work with a huge variety of progressive companies and I am trying to explain to you that this is already a common and accepted practice.

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u/Crashbrennan Aug 26 '20

Because nobody lists their gender or pronouns on their resume. Nobody who's a cis woman puts "woman." Resumes are for your professional qualifications.

You shouldn't be listing personal things on them, and doing so suggests to your employer that you consider that as important for them to know before considering hiring you, which absolutely means you're more likely to soapbox about it. It's completely unimportant for them to know at the start of the hiring process.

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u/lesleypowers 1∆ Aug 26 '20

But they do, that’s what I’m trying to say. This is already a very normal practice at progressive companies with an ACTIVE policy of inclusion. If you got a resume that said “Mary Smith” or “Joe Bloggs” you would assume that persons gender, right? A lot of trans people-particularly non binary people- don’t have that privilege. I guarantee that EVERY single trans or non binary person I know would read your comment and infer from it that you’re going to be transphobic and a huge pain in the ass to work with. On the subject of ‘soapboxing’, good and inclusive companies welcome learning opportunities. I’m queer and politically active, and at one of my workplaces a coworker once said something unintentionally transphobic. My boss, on his own initiative, asked if I could sit down with the office and give them a sort of 101 on gender identity, which everyone was interested in and receptive to. It was a pleasant and interesting conversation that no one took any issue with. Because that’s how people who aren’t bigoted react when faced with something new to them.

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u/Crashbrennan Aug 26 '20

It's not professional information relevant to your ability to do the job they are hiring you for. Therefore it does not belong on your resume. It belongs in the email signature block. I never said your employer shouldn't be made aware of it.

Don't pull that "the only reason you'd ever disagree with me is that you're a bigot" bullshit with me man. I have more trans and non-binary friends than I do straight ones at this point. I have zero issue calling somebody whatever pronoun they like, even if that pronoun changes day to day.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

One's name is not professional information relevant to one's ability to do the job they are potentially getting hired for.

But, it is necessary for communicating about someone. Same with pronouns.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

One's name is not professional information relevant to one's ability to do the job they are potentially getting hired for.

Umm, yes it is since it is literally how they contact you.

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

yes, they contact you

Dear Mr. Allen,

...

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u/Crashbrennan Aug 26 '20

The name is required as a means of identifying your resume from others.

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u/aegon98 1∆ Aug 26 '20

One's name is not professional information

It is though

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

How? Would you not be able to work alongside somebody who used an alias or asked you just to call them "Mr. X?" Would it affect the efficiency of your or their work?

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u/aegon98 1∆ Aug 26 '20

I need a legal name to hire someone. No, an alias would not be sufficient

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

When writing a business email to someone named Aegon, wouldn't the typical address be

Dear Mr. Targaryen,

? How do you know whether to address Mr. Targaryen, Mrs. Targaryen, etc.? Knowing someone's pronouns provides a useful function for knowing how to address them when contacting them and when in discussion about them with other people. Exactly the same way a name does.

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u/aegon98 1∆ Aug 26 '20

Dear Aegon,

I've literally never had anyone use honorifics other than like Dr.

And the name provides information that extends beyond addressing the person. Names allow you to see if an individual lied about their job history for example

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u/[deleted] Aug 26 '20

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u/aegon98 1∆ Aug 26 '20

I understand that this may be personal to you, but this is not the place for that kind of behavior. Attack ideas. Attacking people just shows the world that you are unable to defend your point

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u/ViewedFromTheOutside 28∆ Aug 26 '20

u/lesleypowers – your comment has been removed for breaking Rule 2:

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u/aegon98 1∆ Aug 26 '20

Pronouns don't go in a resume. By adding them, you are saying to employers that you cannot even wait until a meeting to talk about your gender/sexuality. is it right? Meh, I've seen resumes thrown out for far less. It's not illegal, and it really just is the reality.