"My pronouns" are "I" and "me." The pronouns that other people use to refer to me (thus far, always "he" and "him") are "their pronouns" and I have no right to control them.
Great article; enjoyed in the WSJ. I enjoyed the astrological metaphor.
My working mental nightmare model is “you’re as old as you feel” dysmorphia alleviation really kicks in and 8-year-old “biological age” children will demand drivers licenses and alcohol by-the-drink to be consistent with their perceived age, while the older crowd demand state-funded plastic surgery to alleviate age-related dysmorphia.
Upon meeting, the first thing is to ask “how old ado you feel today.”
Not to be like flippant but when asked my pronoun I have the vague urge to ask the person their anal sex preferences: Q-tip, finger, dildo or fist.
"When talking about me in the third person, please use whatever pronoun you think will best help your listener understand about whom you are speaking."
I explain that I have no “preferred pronouns” and refuse to put down he/him despite being male, because as you say to admit any “preferred pronoun” is to yield the argument altogether. I explain that people should use whatever pronoun for me that the think will best aid communication and cause the least confusion. Most (read: all) people tend to conclude that’s “he.”
The trans ideologues have a terrific strategy that is going to cost the Dems the November elections, I suspect: They refuse to answer hard questions. The snowflakiness we find in universities these days has now become a strategy. Whenever an activist says "Their rights* are being canceled," I ask: What rights do they not have? And then comes a stream of nonsense that would gag a boa constrictor. I would really like to support trans rights, but unfortunately, they, the activists, have never been able to answer my questions. E.g., how can one explain the explosion of trans kids? How do surgeons get the breathtaking gall to operate on healthy bodies? What is with the thousands of DE-transitioners, haven't they been harmed? Why do the trans activists believe that anyone suggesting something other than the affirmative-care model has to be silenced? How is it that these poor victims have the ear of the president of the USA and many congress-theys, and yet are victims? I would like that much juice!
When asked, they give you a blank stare and walk away, or block and report you.... In the Orwellian world they are creating, there is no place for 2+2=4.
The only solution I see is for the GOP to sweep Congress in November, and that, I am afraid, is no solution to the bigger problem. They, the trans ideologues MUST begin loosening up and accepting that the affirmative care model has been a frightful case of medical malpractice.
My son was asked his pronouns in school when a trans group came to talk to them. He was 11 or 12. He didn’t understand the question and thought he was being asked something else and answered ‘she’ and the whole school laughed. He was fine, a bit embarrassed, but it really is ridiculous - and potentially harmful to ask kids that question in front of a huge group. Plus the fact that everyone laughed showed that they already knew what his pronouns were.
I just visited my local school district office today demanding to see the curricula for Human Health/Sex Ed. I was shocked. The whole thing reads like a cocktail of propaganda trash from TRAliban and LBQT+ Special Interest groups. And I need to know - among many other things, What/Who exactly are the innocently sounding "Human Rights Campaign"? The curriculum keeps referring to them for all your "language and terminology needs."
My sister is in a play here in Utah. The publicity person for the production asked for her pronouns for her bio. She told them she didn't want them listed. The publicity person reported back to the producers, who then told my sister her request was denied: her pronouns would be listed with her bio. The director told the producers to let him talk to my sister, and after speaking with her, my sister learned the producers backtracked and will honor her request to not have her pronouns listed. My sister stood up for her beliefs and I am glad the producers were humble enough to respect them.
I will be starting a job soon where it appears such declaration is required, if one wants the paycheck. I am thinking of ta, ta, tade. In Chinese, there is a separate linguistic designator for animate and inanimate objects, no difference between nominative and objective (in terms of the pronoun). But I like I, me, and mine. Really great point Louis Woodhill! Both of these strategies seem consistent with refusal, i.e., "I don't want to play your game".
Well stated, although one shouldn't allow ideologues to rob English of its actual pronouns, of which there are several, which every (sane) English speaker uses.
When someone asks my pronouns, I say "the English ones."
Ironically, declaring one's pronouns in this context is to choose which stereotypes to reinforce. Said stereotypes treat masculinity as the gold standard. So much for progress. It's incredible how poorly though out gender ideology is.
My son was asked his pronouns in school when a trans group came to talk to them. He was 11 or 12. He didn’t understand the question and thought he was being asked something else and answered ‘she’ and the whole school laughed. He was fine, a bit embarrassed, but it really is ridiculous - and potentially harmful to ask kids that question in front of a huge group. Plus the fact that everyone laughed showed that they already knew what his pronouns are.
I submitted poetry to a publication. Said publication wanted my pronouns. I said I refused to participate in a homophobic and misogynistic ideology that reinforces sex stereotypes.
They did not publish my poetry. I was okay with that.
"My pronouns" are "I" and "me." The pronouns that other people use to refer to me (thus far, always "he" and "him") are "their pronouns" and I have no right to control them.
Great article; enjoyed in the WSJ. I enjoyed the astrological metaphor.
My working mental nightmare model is “you’re as old as you feel” dysmorphia alleviation really kicks in and 8-year-old “biological age” children will demand drivers licenses and alcohol by-the-drink to be consistent with their perceived age, while the older crowd demand state-funded plastic surgery to alleviate age-related dysmorphia.
Upon meeting, the first thing is to ask “how old ado you feel today.”
Not to be like flippant but when asked my pronoun I have the vague urge to ask the person their anal sex preferences: Q-tip, finger, dildo or fist.
I mean, since we’re asking “probing” questions.
"I reject the premise, and adhere to my First Amendment right of protection from compelled speech."
"When talking about me in the third person, please use whatever pronoun you think will best help your listener understand about whom you are speaking."
I explain that I have no “preferred pronouns” and refuse to put down he/him despite being male, because as you say to admit any “preferred pronoun” is to yield the argument altogether. I explain that people should use whatever pronoun for me that the think will best aid communication and cause the least confusion. Most (read: all) people tend to conclude that’s “he.”
The trans ideologues have a terrific strategy that is going to cost the Dems the November elections, I suspect: They refuse to answer hard questions. The snowflakiness we find in universities these days has now become a strategy. Whenever an activist says "Their rights* are being canceled," I ask: What rights do they not have? And then comes a stream of nonsense that would gag a boa constrictor. I would really like to support trans rights, but unfortunately, they, the activists, have never been able to answer my questions. E.g., how can one explain the explosion of trans kids? How do surgeons get the breathtaking gall to operate on healthy bodies? What is with the thousands of DE-transitioners, haven't they been harmed? Why do the trans activists believe that anyone suggesting something other than the affirmative-care model has to be silenced? How is it that these poor victims have the ear of the president of the USA and many congress-theys, and yet are victims? I would like that much juice!
When asked, they give you a blank stare and walk away, or block and report you.... In the Orwellian world they are creating, there is no place for 2+2=4.
The only solution I see is for the GOP to sweep Congress in November, and that, I am afraid, is no solution to the bigger problem. They, the trans ideologues MUST begin loosening up and accepting that the affirmative care model has been a frightful case of medical malpractice.
And it all begins with pronouns.
My son was asked his pronouns in school when a trans group came to talk to them. He was 11 or 12. He didn’t understand the question and thought he was being asked something else and answered ‘she’ and the whole school laughed. He was fine, a bit embarrassed, but it really is ridiculous - and potentially harmful to ask kids that question in front of a huge group. Plus the fact that everyone laughed showed that they already knew what his pronouns were.
I just visited my local school district office today demanding to see the curricula for Human Health/Sex Ed. I was shocked. The whole thing reads like a cocktail of propaganda trash from TRAliban and LBQT+ Special Interest groups. And I need to know - among many other things, What/Who exactly are the innocently sounding "Human Rights Campaign"? The curriculum keeps referring to them for all your "language and terminology needs."
My "pronouns" and "gender identity" are none of your fucking business. Call me whatever you want.
My sister is in a play here in Utah. The publicity person for the production asked for her pronouns for her bio. She told them she didn't want them listed. The publicity person reported back to the producers, who then told my sister her request was denied: her pronouns would be listed with her bio. The director told the producers to let him talk to my sister, and after speaking with her, my sister learned the producers backtracked and will honor her request to not have her pronouns listed. My sister stood up for her beliefs and I am glad the producers were humble enough to respect them.
I will be starting a job soon where it appears such declaration is required, if one wants the paycheck. I am thinking of ta, ta, tade. In Chinese, there is a separate linguistic designator for animate and inanimate objects, no difference between nominative and objective (in terms of the pronoun). But I like I, me, and mine. Really great point Louis Woodhill! Both of these strategies seem consistent with refusal, i.e., "I don't want to play your game".
Well stated, although one shouldn't allow ideologues to rob English of its actual pronouns, of which there are several, which every (sane) English speaker uses.
When someone asks my pronouns, I say "the English ones."
Ironically, declaring one's pronouns in this context is to choose which stereotypes to reinforce. Said stereotypes treat masculinity as the gold standard. So much for progress. It's incredible how poorly though out gender ideology is.
My son was asked his pronouns in school when a trans group came to talk to them. He was 11 or 12. He didn’t understand the question and thought he was being asked something else and answered ‘she’ and the whole school laughed. He was fine, a bit embarrassed, but it really is ridiculous - and potentially harmful to ask kids that question in front of a huge group. Plus the fact that everyone laughed showed that they already knew what his pronouns are.
I submitted poetry to a publication. Said publication wanted my pronouns. I said I refused to participate in a homophobic and misogynistic ideology that reinforces sex stereotypes.
They did not publish my poetry. I was okay with that.
Don't/Be/Silly would be my answer.