diff --git a/proposals/3755-pronouns.md b/proposals/3755-pronouns.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..b1cbb2769b8 --- /dev/null +++ b/proposals/3755-pronouns.md @@ -0,0 +1,95 @@ +# MSC3755: Pronouns + +There are no pronoun labels in Matrix. +We often look to +[MSC1769](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1769) +as the solution to this problem, but little progress has been made +and even with 1769, there would still need to be a representation of +pronouns. + +## Proposal + +Rather than creating new precedents like [MSC1769](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1769) +and waiting indefintley for them, this solution relies +on extending the m.room.member state event with a new optional field: +`m.pronouns.en`. +The name of this field uses a [ISO 639-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ISO_639-1_codes) +code to classify a set of pronouns for the english language. + +`m.pronouns.en` is a list of pronouns in order of user preference. + +The pronouns each have the required fields `subject` +& `object` +as well as the optional fields `possessive`, +`possessive-determiner`, +`reflexive` and `singular`. +These are directly inspired from the site https://pronoun.is, +which gives examples for how to use a set of pronouns. +This set of pronouns only works with the english language +and cannot be used to specify pronouns for other languages +or blindly copied to do so. +A single text field can be considered problematic, +especially with neopronouns, as it can be hard for someone +who is new to a set of neopronouns to derive the others from just the +subject & object pronouns. We believe that specifying only +the subject and object pronouns can unfortunately lead to neopronouns +being ignored when referring to someone who has them. +Specifying each pronoun means that clients and bots can also use +the pronouns when referring to other users. + + +The following gives an example for the pronouns `They/Them`: + +``` +{ + "m.pronouns.en":[ + { + "subject":"they", + "object":"them", + "possessive":"theirs", + "possessive-determiner":"their", + "reflexive":"themselves", + "singular":"themself" + } + ] +} +``` + +### Disclaimer + +The author is not a linguist and knows nothing about natural language. + +## Potential issues + +Changing avatars and displayname is already a cause of concern for +users who are in lots of rooms as it takes a long time on Synapse to +update the member event for all the rooms. + +The profile directory may also [leak](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/5677) +someone's pronouns that are used only in certain contexts and out them. + +This is very english centric and only specifies pronouns for english. + +Pronouns could be used maliciously by inserting abusive text in their place. + +## Alternatives + +* An [extensible](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1767) +state event combined with [MSC1769](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/1769). + +* An alternative involving per room profiles and spaces [MSC3189](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3189). + + +## Security considerations + +No considertion taken so far. + +## Unstable prefix + +While this MSC is not considered stable by the specification, implementations *must* use +`ge.applied-langua.msc3755` as a prefix to denote the unstable functionality. For example, +the `m.pronouns.en` field would instead be `ge.applied-langua.msc3755.pronouns.en` instead. + +## Dependencies + +None known.