What's up with the "preferred pronouns" in people's work email signatures?

[DennisTheMenace]

Not sure if you all have also encountered this, but I noticed some people stating their preferred pronouns in their email signatures. Most of the time, it's just a woman putting "She/her", which is like duh, of course. Is there a trend I'm missing? Was there ever a serious problem with people getting referred to by a wrong pronoun? Do I have to state "He/him" with every email I send out now?

[Kurihara]

I mostly see people listing their pronouns on online communities but not so much on work emails. What industry are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

[MooMooBird]

Not sure if you all have also encountered this, but I noticed some people stating their preferred pronouns in their email signatures. Most of the time, it's just a woman putting "She/her", which is like duh, of course. Is there a trend I'm missing? Was there ever a serious problem with people getting referred to by a wrong pronoun? Do I have to state "He/him" with every email I send out now?

I've started to notice this a few years ago in Singapore too. For most people who do it, it seems like a way to show support for members of the LGBTQ+ community who may not conform to the usual he or her pronouns despite their sex (i.e. male/female). It also seems like most of the people who have preferred pronouns in their email tend to be more Westernised.

[DennisTheMenace]

I mostly see people listing their pronouns on online communities but not so much on work emails. What industry are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

In the shipping industry. Since you're asking which industry I'm in, I'm guessing this phenomenon is not common in every industry?

I've started to notice this a few years ago in Singapore too. For most people who do it, it seems like a way to show support for members of the LGBTQ+ community who may not conform to the usual he or her pronouns despite their sex (i.e. male/female). It also seems like most of the people who have preferred pronouns in their email tend to be more Westernised.

Oh okay I see, but somehow I get the feeling that it's more than just showing support for the LGBTQ+ community. Like it's some way to show your status or something.

[Kurihara]

I mostly see people listing their pronouns on online communities but not so much on work emails. What industry are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

In the shipping industry. Since you're asking which industry I'm in, I'm guessing this phenomenon is not common in every industry?

Yes, my guess is that the whole pronouns thing is more prevalent in some industries than others. I have many friends in media and it's much more common there. 
I'm actually surprised there are such people in the shipping industry.

[DennisTheMenace]

I mostly see people listing their pronouns on online communities but not so much on work emails. What industry are you in, if you don't mind me asking?

In the shipping industry. Since you're asking which industry I'm in, I'm guessing this phenomenon is not common in every industry?

Yes, my guess is that the whole pronouns thing is more prevalent in some industries than others. I have many friends in media and it's much more common there. 
I'm actually surprised there are such people in the shipping industry.

The few people I see with pronouns in their email signatures are not exactly from the shipping industry. More like partners we have to work with. But yeah I can roughly see why you say it's more common in the cooler and younger industries like media.