Apple CEO Tim Cook added his pronouns to his Twitter bio
- Tim Cook and another Apple exec, Greg Joswiak, recently added pronouns to their Twitter bios.
- GLAAD says adding pronouns to social media profiles is a way to support trans people.
- Cook is a public supporter of LGBTQ youth.
Tim Cook and Greg Joswiak, two Apple executives, both added pronouns to their Twitter bios.
Apple CEO Tim Cook looks to have made the change recently. On December 5, his bio reads "Apple CEO Auburn Duke National Parks "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" - MLK. he/him." A Wayback Machine screenshot from November 27 shows that his pronouns were not in his bio then, so he made the change sometime after November 27.
Apple SVP of marketing Greg Joswiak also lists his pronouns in his Twitter bio. GLAAD, an NGO dedicated to calling out discrimination against LGBTQ people, says cis people sharing pronouns is an important way to be an ally to trans people.
"Introducing yourself as a cisgender person with your pronouns - which are words that are used to refer to someone without using their name - can make a more inclusive and safe environment for trans people to also share their pronouns...Another easy way to normalize sharing your pronouns is to add your pronouns to your social media bios or email signature" GLAAD advises.
Organizations, including schools and businesses, are increasingly normalizing sharing pronouns in emails and to open meetings. It's also important to note that pronouns do not dictate a person's gender identity, as Canela López noted in Insider's guide to understanding pronouns.
Cook came out as gay in 2014 and has said that he was motivated by letters he received from children struggling with their sexual orientation. He said that he worried about the reaction outside of Apple at the time and noted "the world is still not friendly to gay or trans people in many countries but also within our country." This year, he also tweeted in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors people hurt by anti-trans violence.