I’ve been a member of the American Civil Liberties Union since I was an undergraduate at Ursinus College in the early Sixties, although I did quit for a time after the Santa Clara County Chapter defended the right of prostitutes to work in our neighborhood near San Jose State. Would-be customers would cruise the streets and proposition female students. Eventually I did rejoin ACLU, and I’ve been a member for decades.
The latest newsletter just arrived, and it has pictures and descriptions of some of the volunteers along with their desired pronouns. Since there is little reason to ever contact these people personally, and since no one will remember their names anyway, what is the reason for listing their desired pronouns? It is to show how “with it,” how sensitive, how caring ACLU is.
When I am introduced to someone, I sometimes have trouble remembering his or her name five minutes later. Now you want me to remember pronouns as well. This is why people make fun of “progressives.”
I was asked to enter my pronouns online yesterday which I thought was strange 'cause I don't care. But your blog got me thinking.
ReplyDeleteParticularly if they're younger, sexual identity is very important to people. Trans individuals are particularly subject to ridicule and discrimination. Most people don't realize how complex the physiology of sex is. It's not just about gonads. It's not binary; it's a continuum.
I think trans people are concerned about their pronouns because they want people to recognize who they. Now I'll try not to mind when asked for my pronouns. And I won't worry when I get them wrong, because the one thing we all have in common for sure is . . . we screw up.
My problem is memory. I find that I'm having difficulty remembering names. (It's age related.) Now I'm supposed to remember pronouns. What about capital letters. bell hooks I can remember, but I worry that whole thing will spread. If someone is trans, can't we just use the pronoun of the gender she or he has transitioned to?
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