Members of the Air Force and Space Force will now be able to tell others what pronouns they prefer in official correspondence under a just-adopted diversity policy change endorsed by the senior brass.
The Department of the Air Force this week said it was now allowing individual members of the military to list the pronouns they wanted to be known by — including he/him, she/her and they/them — in the “signature block” that also includes the poster’s name, rank, service affiliation, social media contacts and other personal information on emails and social media posts.
“Do not add slogans, quotes or other personalization to an official e-mail/social media signature block,” the authorizing document reads in part. “The use of pronouns (he/him, she/her, or they/them) in an email signature block is authorized but not required.”
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The change is featured in the latest update of the Air Force’s writing guide, The Tongue and Quill, which provides formatting standards for official documents. Pronouns have become a hot-button topic after transgender advocates and others said they did not want to be forced to use a gendered pronoun that they felt did not reflect their true identity.
The Air Force’s LGBTQ Initiatives Team (LIT) pushed for the change to promote what service officials say will result in a “more inclusive force.” But the move also comes as the Pentagon is facing criticism on Capitol Hill that the push for diversity and inclusivity policies in the ranks is creating a “woke” military that is less focused on fighting and winning wars.
“An inclusive force is a mission-ready force,” said Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones.
Air Force officials said the earlier, more traditional policy was being used against transgender members of the Air Force and Space Force who were “authentically representing themselves.”
“It was also important for many individuals often confused as being a different gender in their communications,” said Lt. Col. Bree Fram with the Air Force’s Transgender Policy Team.
Reaction to the policy change in the ranks is mixed. It was a topic addressed on the popular online site Reddit.
“This is why people make fun of us,” one poster, apparently in the Air Force, noted while another said an individual’s rank should be the only pronoun used. But others said the new change makes sense.
“As a male with a generally female first name, I can see the merit,” said one Reddit poster, identified as tkosh11. “I love to reply to emails headed ‘Ma’am’ with ‘I am a guy.’”
It wasn’t immediately clear Wednesday if other services would be making similar changes to preferred pronouns.
Several other organizations within the Department of the Air Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group also advocated for the change, including the service’s Pacific Island/Asian American Community Team and the Women’s Initiatives Team.
The use of preferred pronouns in the Air Force won’t be mandatory, but it will mirror common practice in the civilian sector, officials said.
Master Sgt. Jamie Hash, co-lead of the Air Force’s Transgender Policy Team, said the change means the service is closer to “explicitly acknowledging the existence and dignity of non-binary military members and civilians.”
“It is an example of how the [working group] teams are addressing barriers, collaborating and executing solutions in ways that have not been seen before to help Airmen and Guardians thrive,” Master Sgt. Hash said.
Advocates say allowing personnel to choose their preferred pronoun can also help the Air Force with retention issues.
It “is a quick and simple way to eliminate confusion and promote a more inclusive culture,” said Lt. Col. Fram.