LinkedIn is a professional platform, and I am going to share my two cents as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.

Every section of a LinkedIn profile serves a purpose:

• Your Headline explains your professional value.
• Your About section tells your career story.
• Your Experience section showcases accomplishments.
• Your Skills section highlights competencies.
• Your Banner Image reinforces branding.

And then there is the Pronoun field.

The Pronoun field is not a branding opportunity. It is not a marketing slogan. It is not a place for advertising. It is not a place for “Sales Ninja,” “Coffee Addict,” “Marketing Guru,” “Top Closer,” “Open to Work,” or “AI Wizard.”

The Pronoun field exists to support identity, inclusion, visibility, and respectful communication.

The Pronoun field exists to support identity, inclusion, visibility, and respectful communication.

At times, some LinkedIn users use this section for self-promotion, humor, or personal branding.

That behavior may not only appear unprofessional; it may also be viewed as conflicting with ethical standards. It may be seen as dismissive or disrespectful by LGBTQ+ professionals and others who regard pronouns as an important aspect of identity and inclusion.

As LinkedIn continues to evolve into a global professional ecosystem with more than 1.3+ billion members, profile etiquette matters.

Using the Pronoun field properly is about professionalism, respect, following platform intent, and using LinkedIn features appropriately, and not for self-promotion.

Why LinkedIn Added Pronouns

LinkedIn added pronouns so members can represent themselves and aid respectful communication.

Pronouns may help:

• Reduce assumptions about gender identity
• Support inclusion in professional settings
• Improve workplace respect and communication
• Help normalize identity visibility
• Create psychologically safer environments
• Reduce anxiety for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse professionals

Pronouns are optional on LinkedIn.

If someone does not want pronouns, they can opt out.

If used, the section should serve its intended purpose.

This means using identity-related pronouns only.

Not advertisements, jokes, or marketing language.

The Real Problem: Misusing the Pronoun Field for Marketing

Some LinkedIn users sometimes use the Pronoun field as advertising space.

Examples include:

• “Lead Gen Expert”
• “Growth Hacker”
• “AI Evangelist”
• “Sales Ninja”
• “Coffee Lover”
• “Dog Mom”
• “Networking Queen”
• “Revenue Builder”
• “Podcast Host”

This use is not aligned with the feature’s original intent.

LinkedIn already provides multiple sections for branding and promotion:

• Headline
• About section
• Featured section
• Creator mode content
• Banner image
• Experience section
• Services section
• Posts and articles

The Pronoun field serves a unique function.

It exists to support respectful representation of identity.

Using the pronoun area for marketing may signal:

• Poor LinkedIn etiquette
• Lack of professionalism
• Inability to follow platform instructions
• Misunderstanding of inclusive workplace practices
• Prioritizing self-promotion over respect for identity-based features
• Insensitivity toward LGBTQ+ professionals
• Weak understanding of professional boundaries on social platforms

In some situations, this approach can impact a professional brand.

Why This Matters in the Workplace

Pronouns are not just a trend.

For many professionals, pronouns relate directly to:

• Identity
• Inclusion
• Respect
• Belonging
• Workplace safety
• Psychological comfort
• Visibility

Inclusion initiatives across many organizations increasingly recognize the importance of respectful communication practices.

Employers today are evaluating more than technical qualifications. They also evaluate:

• Communication style
• Cultural awareness
• Emotional intelligence
• Professional conduct
• Inclusivity
• Collaboration skills

Recruiters, hiring managers, and HR professionals notice details.

A LinkedIn profile reflects judgment.

When someone uses an identity-support feature for self-promotion, it may create unintended negative impressions.

Using the pronoun field for business promotion may not align with LinkedIn etiquette or respect for identity-related features.

That perception may matter more than some professionals realize.

LinkedIn Should Strengthen Its Standards

LinkedIn currently allows users to add pronouns through a dropdown menu and custom options.

LinkedIn could consider reminding users not to use the Pronoun field in violation of profile standards or user agreement policies.

Why?

Because the feature has a defined purpose.

Professional platforms routinely enforce standards regarding:

• Spam
• False identities
• Harassment
• Misleading information
• Hate speech
• Fraudulent behavior

Using an inclusion-based identity feature for advertising may not reach the same level of severity, but it could affect the platform’s intended function.

LinkedIn could improve the experience by:

• Restricting non-pronoun text
• Limiting custom entries to pronoun structures
• Using AI moderation for obvious misuse
• Adding clearer guidance during setup
• Making misuse reportable
• Clarifying expectations in profile etiquette policies

The platform already structures profile sections for specific purposes. The Pronoun field should be treated no differently.

LinkedIn Profile Etiquette Matters

LinkedIn is not TikTok. It is not a dating app. It is not a meme board.

It is a professional networking platform where people:

• Apply for jobs
• Build business relationships
• Establish credibility
• Research candidates
• Evaluate leadership
• Explore partnerships
• Assess professionalism

Professional etiquette matters.

Just as professionals should not:

• Stuff keywords unnaturally into every field
• Write misleading job titles
• Use unprofessional photos
• Overuse of emojis in formal contexts
• Create deceptive credentials

Similarly, inclusion-focused profile fields should be used appropriately and respectfully.

The issue is not whether someone personally likes pronouns. The issue is respecting the feature’s purpose.

Even professionals who choose not to display pronouns can still respect the intended use of the section.

That is part of digital professionalism.

Proper Examples of Pronouns on LinkedIn

Examples include:

• He/Him
• She/Her
• They/Them
• She/They
• He/They
• Ze/Hir
• Ze/Zir
• Xe/Xem
• Any Pronouns

If someone does not wish to identify pronouns, leaving the field blank is completely acceptable.

Using marketing slogans, humor, or branding language in place of pronouns may not align with the field’s intended purpose.

How to Add Pronouns on LinkedIn

Desktop Instructions

1. Log into LinkedIn
2. Click your profile photo
3. Select “View Profile”
4. Click the pencil/edit icon near your introduction card
5. Locate the Pronouns section
6. Select your pronouns from the dropdown menu
7. Choose visibility preferences
8. Save changes

Here is a Storylane video with instructions.

Mobile Instructions

1. Open the LinkedIn app
2. Tap your profile photo
3. Tap “View Profile”
4. Tap the edit/pencil icon
5. Scroll to Pronouns
6. Select the appropriate option
7. Save changes

LinkedIn offers visibility controls that let users determine who sees their pronouns.

Pronoun Usage Is Increasing

Pronoun visibility continues increasing across workplaces, educational environments, virtual meetings, email signatures, and social platforms.

According to reporting from Business Insider and LinkedIn discussions, including a post from Diversity Partners:

• Tens of millions of LinkedIn users display pronouns
• Pronoun adoption has continued to grow globally
• Younger generations are more likely to include pronouns online
• Many organizations now include pronouns in onboarding, employee profiles, and collaboration platforms

As workplace communication evolves, digital professionalism evolves with it.

You can respect professionalism and platform rules regardless of personal views.

An Alphabetical Gender Identity and Gender Expression Glossary

• Agender
• Androgynous
• Aporagender
• Assigned Female At Birth (AFAB)
• Assigned Male At Birth (AMAB)
• Bigender
• Cisgender
• Cisnormativity
• Closeted
• Demiboy
• Demigender
• Demigirl
• Drag Expression
• Femme
• Fluid Gender Expression
• Gender Affirmation
• Gender Binary
• Gender Diverse
• Gender Dysphoria
• Gender Euphoria
• Gender Expression
• Gender Fluid
• Gender Identity
• Gender Inclusive
• Gender Neutral
• Gender Nonconforming
• Gender Questioning
• Gender Variant
• Intersex
• Masculine Presenting
• Misgendering
• Multigender
• Neopronouns
• Nonbinary
• Pangender
• Preferred Name
• Pronouns
• Queer
• Questioning
• Third Gender
• Transgender
• Transitioning
• Transmasculine
• Transfeminine
• Two-Spirit
• Xenogender
• Ze/Hir
• Ze/Zir

Recommended Educational Resources

For accurate and evolving terminology definitions, consider reviewing:

• Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
• GLAAD Media Reference Guide
• The Trevor Project
• PFLAG Glossary

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn profile optimization is not only about keywords, branding, algorithms, and visibility.

Profile optimization requires professionalism, etiquette, and understanding of feature purposes.

The Pronoun field was created to support identity and respectful communication.

Professionals who use that space for advertising, branding, or humor may unintentionally give the impression of:

• Poor judgment
• Lack of professionalism
• Weak platform etiquette
• Disrespect toward inclusive workplace practices

If you choose to use the Pronoun field, use it as intended for identity and respectful communication.

If you do not wish to use the Pronoun field, simply leave it blank.

Not every part of LinkedIn needs to become a marketing opportunity.

Sometimes professionalism means actively upholding the space’s intended purpose.

Did you read last week’s article? LinkedIn Analytics: Stop Guessing & Start Checking Your Numbers

AUTHOR BIO

Lynne Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides career education and networking for unemployed, self-employed, and employed individuals. Connect on LinkedIn at www.LinkedIn.com/in/lynnewilliams and check out other resources.

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