Earn your pronouns, don't expect them

[Cyndee]

Interesting reading regarding the direction (legally or otherwise) of pronoun use, especially in the context of "free speech" rights in the US.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/05/25/claims-by-transgender-schoolteacher-who-wants-to-be-called-they-yield-60000-settlement-agreement-to-create-disciplinary-rules-regulating-pronoun-usage/

My advice is to be prepared for the PC (politically correct) backlash on this topic. So earn your pronouns out there, don't expect them. If you are granted proper pronouns be grateful. I was referred to as "she" and called "ma'am" on the phone today, I earned them, I did not expect them.

Good luck out there, be realistic and understanding. There is a lot of abuse out there......

Cynthia -

[VickySGV]

This is a bit of a mind bender even for me as I work (OK, Play) with some non-binary younger people. Old tongues and lips are set in their ways and take a while to change. I think the real point with the folks I know is that I have tried, and keep trying to "get it right" and have shown that I do care about them and their lives. I may be slow on the words, but they know my heart is there for them and that is the difference I can see here.

I earn my pronouns by being helpful and caring without being PC, and without resentment or other negative behaviors toward other people, and I care about who and how another person best identifies.

[Charlize]

Pronouns will become increasingly difficult. I find using they instead of he or she difficult. Maybe zee would be easier but for now i still haven't been asked to make a change for anyone i know. It's coming i'm sure but not yet. When it does i'll try to respect the person asking.

Hugs,

Charlize

[sarahlash]

The article was a very interesting read, thank you for sharing it. I think that its partially proof that our society is starting to take transgender pronouns seriously to an extent, but that being that PC will definitely cause a backlash of some kind. Though I agree people should be called by the pronouns that they feel represents them, it will not be instantaneous for others to accept those new pronouns to be used. As well as, mistakes that can occur even after people have come to call the person by the new pronouns. Or some people will just not accept it, and its a situation that has to be considered.

Sarah