Real estate agent campaigns to ban Dear sirs from the workplace: Language matters

A woman is attempting to ban the term “Dear sirs” from the workplace — dubbing it “archaic” and “sexist.” Ellie Rees, 48, has set up a petition to change the default term from “Dear sirs” to “Dear colleagues” or “Dear all” in legal correspondence — so it’s more inclusive of women. Ellie is lobbing the Law Society of England and Wales to support the elimination of “Dear sirs” and says it will be a “step towards fairer, more equal and happier workplaces.”Ellie set up the petition on Change.org on October 2, 2024, and has already reached 125 signatures. The estate agent, from Islington, London, said: “It’s old fashioned and sexist and over the years I’ve been campaigning against but there is a huge resistance to change it.“We are lobbing the Law Society to get it eliminated. “In 2020, the Law Society of Ireland (not of England and Wales) discouraged it and encouraged gender neutral inclusive language, but it is still up to the discretion of the company or individual. “We live in a different society now and we need new and acceptable language.“I see a lot of tenancy agreements that are all male pronouns which I think is lazy.”She says it’s important because “language matters” as “it influences power dynamics and shapes culture.” She wrote in the petition: “Our campaign highlights why Dear Sirs is archaic and sexist. “It does not reflect contemporary society and alienates half of us with the stroke of a pen. “The goal is to eradicate its use through conversation and education by challenging convention. “It’s high time we modernize business language to mirror and respect our wonderfully diverse workforce.”Ellie has been campaigning for three years and “will die on this hill.” She said: “There is a big gender pay gap and authority gap versus who is in support role and in the junior roles.“For example, it may be 50/50 in the company but all the women would be in the lesser roles. ...