He, she or they: How companies are starting to address calls for a gender-neutral workplace

CHICAGO - At work, Chris Rosario sticks to trousers and button-down shirts.

But on the weekends, his look is different. Flowing dresses, bold prints and vibrant colors accompany his thick beard.

The 33-year-old content manager was born "he." But today he describes himself as gender queer, living and dressing as neither male nor female, but somewhere along the spectrum between them.

"At work I'm typically in more male dress," Rosario said. "It's not that I'm hiding. The individuals I'm close to and work with know who I am and see pictures of my weekend outfits."

Helping Rosario and his coworkers with those conversations is his employer, IBM, one of a number of companies pushing into uncharted territory - making their workplaces inclusive and welcoming for people who don't define themselves as male or female, and don't use "Mr." or "Ms.," "he" or "she," but instead consider themselves a "they."