Add, change, or delete pronouns on your Microsoft 365 profile card

University of Waterloo students and employees now have the option to set or add pronouns (i.e., words we use to replace someone’s name in a sentence, such as “he”, “she”, or “they”) to their Microsoft 365 profile card. When set or added, the pronouns will appear in Teams and Outlook (Web version). Pronouns on the M365 profile card are not synced across any other University system and are not visible to individuals external of the University.

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To add, change, or delete pronouns

• Add, change, or delete pronouns on your profile in Microsoft 365 (Teams and Outlook on the web)

Additional resources

• Pronouns FAQ page from the University’s Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism (EDI-R)

• Frequently asked questions about pronouns in Microsoft 365 (Microsoft) 

• Pronouns on your profile in Microsoft 365 (Microsoft)  

• Profile cards in Microsoft 365 (Microsoft) 

Understanding the limitations and risks of sharing personal information

Security and safety

• Personal pronoun information reveals an individual's gender identity and/or sexual orientation.

• Sharing this information could put the person at risk, especially if the information about someone's gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation is shared without the person's consent.

• Non-consensual sharing of personal pronouns in the system could be seen as an involuntary outing that could have devastating consequences for the person.

Privacy

• The pronouns on the M365 profile card are visible to members of the University of Waterloo organization, including students, employees, and guests. There is no way to limit the visibility of the pronouns for specific populations or groups.

• Respecting privacy applies to sharing pronouns as it can reveal an individual’s gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Non-consensual sharing of this information could be harmful. It’s important to respect everyone’s choice when it comes to sharing pronouns

Reporting inappropriate use of this feature

If you witness or experience behaviour involving the misuse of pronouns, such as repeated misgendering, mocking, or intentionally altering someone’s pronouns against their wishes, you are encouraged to report it using the Advocate Intake form. When submitting a report, please include any relevant context and if possible, a screenshot to help us better understand the situation. All reports will be reviewed confidentially by an EDI-R team member. Any follow-up will be handled with care, fairness, and respect for everyone involved. While mistakes can happen, the goal is to foster education and mutual understanding.