Should people be able to officially identify as whatever they like?

[Whatdidisay]

With the news that Bristol university has issues guidance to staff on the correct use of pronouns for students identifying as cats (catgender) has it now gone too far?
Surely if someone seriously believes they are a cat, then they need a doctor and a reality check not pronouns and validation?

@2X4B523P

I identify as a squirrel, behind closed doors I parade up and down with a strap-on bushy tail, calling myself Nutkin.

This is the Mumsnet I love.

I think someone on the board of Bristol Uni has a fine sense of humour.
They are making the point that self-identification is valueless and self defeating. It's a cuttingly accurate view of all this nonsense.

British wit is alive and well. I love it.

I feel I’m being authentic when I have days of lazing around doing as I please and have craved more of them

It’s obvious now what my gender is

Before I was calling it lazy days

What does it mean to “identify as” anything? This phrase gets used a lot but I don’t know what it actually means.

Does it mean to dress up as the thing - in private ? In public?
Does it mean to adopt the mannerisms and behaviour of the thing?
Does it mean changing your environment to be similar to the environment that the thing would live in?
Is it part time or full time? Is it all or nothing?
Are other people required to respond to you as they would to the thing that you are identifying as?
Are you actually thé thing, or are you a ”you” version of the thing?
Is “identifying“ enough to change the legal rights and responsibilities that you have from those of “you” to those of “thing identified as”? Obviously a cat can’t legally drive a car or manage a bank account (can it?).

So what does “identify as” mean?

No one knows work

You aren't expecting definitions beyond anyone who says they are a cat is a cat are you?

There's not single non circular definition

The worlds gone mad

What does it mean to “identify as” anything? This phrase gets used a lot but I don’t know what it actually means.

It means whatever the living entity claims it to mean at any given moment. Your inability to understand the definition of an identity is because you are a bigot and not because words no longer have meanings. HTH

Identifying as something implies the opposite of reality.

If you really were whatever it is, you'd just say I'm x not I Identify as x

@lljkk

Should MNers be able to easily identify all the trans-rights-paranoia threads so we can hide them asap?

That MN AMA session with MPs other day was ruined by the obsessive TRP lot. Such a shame.

But this thread is about Identifying as a cat? Surely its not transphobic to question this lunacy? The two can't actually be related can they?

I identify as an Imperial all terrain armoured transport. My pronouns are at/at

Yeah what could identifying as a cat possibly have in common with trans rights @lljkk?

Someone had better warn these self-identifying cats not to go to certain parts of China where people regularly eat cats.

I I identify as a rich person and for my mental health I think my mortgage should be paid off. Rich people don’t have mortgages. By someone. By not accepting my identity as a rich person you are invalidating me, all of you.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/man-69-who-identifies-as-20-years-younger-begins-legal-battle-to-change-age-11547764

Seems.a good time to remind people of this

I identify as a billionaire and will be taking robust action against my bank for not being kind and validating me. In fact they're committing literal violence to my balance right now! I shall take this great cause up via the medium of Twitter where all great ideas are born and become real because.

I identify as a young teenager. Therefore, I don’t have to pay any rent or bills

I completely agree - that was my thought too. If you can't rein in somebody's ridiculousness and bring them back to reason, the next best thing is to let them take it so very far ad absurdum - whack it right up to 11 - so that nobody could possibly be left in any doubt whatsoever or deny that the emperor is indeed stark staring naked.

Yes, this. The more people who insist they 'identify as' cats, giraffes, Julius Caesar, umbrellas, cafetières and barnacles, the better.

Can you imagine the toilet blocks at Bristol uni?
Mens/unisex/disabled/litterbox 😂😂

Can you imagine the toilet blocks at Bristol uni?

Can yo imagine writing safeguarding policy? They'll need expert input from Bristol Zoo.

Can you imagine the toilet blocks at Bristol uni?
Mens/unisex/disabled/litterbox

😂😂😂

But male cat or female cat?

I asked teen DD about this and she already knew about cat pronouns. I think she said they were neo-prounouns that related to identifying as something non human...
I keep thinking of the (iirc) prudential ad in the 90s where a man says "I want to be a tree"!!

It might be nice to identify as a cat for a day or two - curl up in a nice warm place all day, only rouse to eat, or poo in any horrible neighbours’ flower beds.

Today I am identifying as a sloth. I might make a pin badge to that effect.

Today I'm self identifying as a tiger so I can bite the arses of all the work people who are inevitable going to annoy the fuck out of me today.