International Pronouns Day

Everyone at Fire and Emergency deserves to feel valued and respected for who they are and what they do. Together, through our words and actions, we can ensure a truly safe, inclusive workplace culture where people feel free to be themselves. Not only is this right for our people, but our diversity is also a strength and helps us to better understand and serve all our communities across Aotearoa.

Wednesday, 19 October, is International Pronouns Day(external link), and an opportunity to deepen our understanding of, and show our support for, the use of personal pronouns within our workplace and communities.

Public Service Rainbow communities have expressed how important it is for colleagues, managers and others to get pronouns and names right, as it helps create a real sense of belonging and respect in the workplace.

This International Pronouns Day, Fire and Emergency's Whiria te Tāngata network encourages each of us to take a moment to learn more about personal pronouns and consider what we can do to make our environment more welcoming and inclusive of diverse voices.

A simple but impactful way to make a difference is to include your pronouns in your email signature. It's easy to do, and more guidance can be found on the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission's website(external link).

InsideOut also has some great resources(external link) to help people understand more about how personal pronouns can be important in acknowledging people's gender identity [link]. 

If you're interested in knowing more about Whiria te Tāngata - Rainbow Network, take a look at Whiria te Tāngata – Rainbow Network on The Portal, or get in touch at whiriatetangata@fireandemergency.nz