Pronoun Customization on Online Services

Anyone can share their pronouns on online platforms such as Microsoft 365, Canvas and Zoom. Even if people regularly assume your pronouns correctly, sharing your pronouns can be a meaningful act of solidarity with transgender students, faculty, and staff who share their pronouns to avoid being misgendered.

Western has enabled support for specifying personal pronouns on services that support the functionality. Please be aware that your personal pronouns are not synced across services and will need to be configured individually on each service listed. 

This page includes:

  • Adding Pronouns to your Microsoft 365 Account
  • Adding Pronouns to your Banner (Web4U) Profile
  • Adding Pronouns to your WWU Canvas Account
  • Customizing Your Profile in Zoom
  • Customizing Your Display Name During a Meeting
  • Add Pronouns to your Email Signature
  • Add Pronouns to your Drupal Profile

Adding Pronouns to your Microsoft 365 Account

Pronouns can be added to your Microsoft 365 Profile. Pronouns specified here will display in Microsoft 365 products and services such as your email in Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and other Microsoft Office applications when others view your Microsoft 365 profile. 

Adding Pronouns to your Banner (Web4U) Profile

Pronouns can be added to your Banner user profile. Pronouns specified here will appear on class rosters, Banner related reports, and the University Directory.

Adding Pronouns to your WWU Canvas Account

WWU Canvas users can now designate personal pronouns. This will show your personal pronouns in parentheses after your name wherever your name would normally appear, including areas only the instructor sees, such as the Gradebook, and areas other students in the class can see, such as discussion boards, groups, etc. 

Customizing Your Profile in Zoom (for account holders)

Whether you are using a free (Basic) Zoom account or a licensed Zoom for Western account, you can customize your Profile, which can include your display name as well as the image that displays in place of your video if you have video hidden.

Customizing Your Display Name During a Meeting

Any participant (whether they have a Zoom account or not) can change their display name during a Zoom meeting to change the way it displays in the Participants panel and over your video if you talk. This may be useful if you don’t want your full name, if you prefer a nickname, or if you additionally want to add personal pronouns after your name to be displayed during the session.

  • Rename: Hover over your name and click Rename to change your screen name displayed to other participants. If this does not appear as an option, the host can change their settings to allow participants to rename themselves (which is the default setting).

Add Pronouns to your Email Signature

Your pronouns may be added to the standard WWU email signature. 

  • Access the email signature generation web app.
  • In the pronouns field supply your the pronouns you use. 
  • Follow the instructions on the email signature generation page to configure your mail client to use the signature. 

Add Pronouns on your Drupal Account

Drupal editors may customize their pronouns attached to their Drupal account. 

  • Login to your website and then go to sitename.wwu.edu/user 
  • Choose the edit link
  • In the text field labeled Pronouns enter the pronouns you use.
  • Select Save at the bottom of the page

See also: Understanding and Respecting Personal Pronouns - LGBTQ + We