CadyHeron talks about context and rudeness. And this is part of the problem. There can not be a blanket rule. But there does need to be respect for each other and how each group is sensitive and a building of trust.
I've seen this morning someone on twitter who was upset because they have a GRC but were being referred to as male. I don't know the context and I have no idea if this was in reference to this thread or not.
What I see happening is that posters respond to a person on the basis of their behaviour rather than identity. If they feel threatened or silenced there lean towards disrespect and calling someone male because they feel they have been disrespect. If they feel their biological barriers are being belittled and ignored they err towards belittling and not knowledging others concerns.
As I say, this is a cycle which escalates. And it demonstrates why biology can not be ignored.
There are cases where discussion touches on people who are post op and have legal status where this remains relevant too.
I was reading this week about a case of a transman. They had to have a kidney transplant because their belief in the ideology was greater than the reality of biology.
What happened was that they had turned up at hospital but were reluctant to be treated because they did not want to be misgendered. They were told they had to stop talking testosterone because it was physically harming them. Blood measurements were taken on the basis of them being female.
But they ignored advice and continued to take testosterone. So the problem persisted. What happened subsequently was the patient turned up at another hospital because they didn't like the treatment they had. At this hospital they were treated as if they were male. Their bloods were fine on the male measurements but not on the female. And ultimately the political correctness of the hospital resulting in the patient becoming very ill indeed and ultimately needing a transplant.
So in the midst of all of this about male bodied there are contexts where it is hugely important to talk about and there are issues where it would be harmful to ignore.
I really do hope that MN understand this when coming up with guidelines. Because making certain subjects effectively off limits isn't in anyone's interests.
The denial of reality might be a painful thing emotionally for trans people to deal with, but it isn't always hateful to discuss these things.
Concerned parents need to freedom to approach this reality. Parents who deny this reality and don't help their child to understand this importance are not necessarily protecting them. They could be setting them up for harm.
Equally when TRAs deny biological reality they limit and restrict the ability of women to talk about their own biological issues. Identity and ideology is trumping health. Women are kicking back against this. As they should. Because it affects their health. It affects their ability to function in society because of just how huge the impact of biology ultimately is. Blindness and attempts to silence women about biology is discriminatory.
Political correctness just adds another barrier to taboo subjects. It stops people talking full stop. People do not get pregnant. Women do. Thats the end of the discussion in the main. For the few transmen out there they need to understand its not discriminatory to keep using the word woman. Yes, in politeness staff treating them should refer to them as they want, but reality remains and we need the means to keep talking freely.
If you are more concerned with tripping over language and upsetting because you use biological terms, it will cause harm though silencing.
Some of these same issues also are true of sexual assault and rape. But here the conversation becomes even more fraught and emotional. But the point remains. Ditto the emotional abuse and coercion of lesbians.
Whilst a GRC creates a law to protect individuals it does not and should not make entire subjects off limits because of the nuances and complexities of these issues.
Transphobia as a blanket term is nonsense and is damaging for everyone.
We ALL have to move forward understanding and acknowledging the problems and limitations of the law and how reality is inescapable. Reality can and is distressing to all of us in different ways. But we are prisoners to it.
NOTHING will change that.
I personally wish that was not the case because it would save so much pain. But there isn't a magic wand, and no amount of surgery, hormones, pronoun sensitivity or legal ruling will ever change that.