We've introduced pronoun badges across our offices

We’ve introduced pronoun badges in our offices in Hammersmith, Leeds, Solihull, Dublin, Isle of Man, Porto and Malta from Wednesday 19 October, marking International Pronouns Day. On re-opening next month, Sheffield will also have these badges on site.

Our people can choose from: He/Him; He/They; She/Her; She/They; They/Them. And they can be collected from communal areas like kitchen areas and games rooms.

We want Flutter to be a place where every voice matters so people can thrive in an inclusive environment. This pronoun badge idea comes from our LGBTQIA+ global work stream and forms one element of our Positive Impact Plan.

"We want to use our voice to encourage equality and raise awareness of the LGBTQIA community. For us, it’s important to inspire real change and a chance for us to show how we’re an ally, not just in our words but in our actions," said Conor Galloway, Inclusion, Wellbeing & Community Lead.

Recent feedback shows some non-binary colleagues are being misgendered by others or want to feel more visible and able to bring their true self to work.

People who identify as non-binary might use They/Them pronouns because it’s a gender neutral reference. When a person is transitioning, being referred to by the pronouns they choose is an important milestone.

"By making visible the pronouns we all use and introducing them when we meet new people, we are creating an environment where we normalise the use of pronouns and colleagues understand their importance," he added.

The relevance of the initiative is explained by Lauren Atkinson, Senior Product Designer, Flutter International.

Lauren said: "Growing up, I struggled a lot. I always wanted to play with my brother and ‘boys’ toys but I couldn’t articulate why other than they just seemed way cooler to me... I could never understand the fascination with makeup, clothing and dance that other girls around me seemed to have.

"Back then we didn’t really have a lot of ways to articulate our feelings...That feeling of being something other. That’s a really difficult feeling. No-one wants to be told that they’re different."

Lauren added: "This is why language is so important. Why we ask you to be mindful about how you greet people and to use gender-neutral terms wherever you can. For me, gender isn’t this black and white concept of male or female... We’re not trying to police you, we’re asking you to simply consider people’s feelings on an individual level. On a human level. We’re asking you to simply normalise compassion."

So how will the pronoun badges help?

Lauren explained: "If you’re comfortable introducing yourself and your pronouns, then you start to make it more comfortable for other people to share them on their own terms. You start to signal to the people around you that you are, in fact, a safe space. It gives people an in, without forcing them out.

They added: "If you witness someone incorrectly using someone’s pronouns when they’re not around, don’t be afraid to step in and correct them. Part of being an ally is also calling it out when people are making things harder for each other."