Told I was 'phobic' for not using pronouns!

[NewStartIn50s]

Asked for my preferred pronouns and I said ' I don't use them', pushed on what I use to refer to myself and I said I don't use on emails or when I introduce myself or at all. Apparently, if I use them I am showing inclusivity to others and being accepting. I'm not quite a dinosaur yet but why are these things forced on us. I don't have a beard (yet) and I think you can tell what I am/but does it really matter if you can't.

So AIBU

YANBU - don't have to use pronouns if you don't want to

YABU - you should state what your preferred pronouns are

Sticking my beak in where it’s not needed but. Female does not equal woman. Woman does not equal female. There are many women who aren’t natally female. It’s just being polite and having an equal playing field. I’m reading for my stoning.

No stoning needed. But just because a small section of the population has decided they don't want woman to equal female, that doesn't make it factually true.

Did they say you and others were being transphobic?

Umm what? Oh don't worry I see you've admitted to being stoned. Maybe lay off the weed and you'll stop having hallucinations.

Why should you have to? Last time I looked we were a free country and not a dictatorship

its up to us to decide if we want to use them or not, not be told we have to

I got asked to do this with my emails etc. I didn't and no-one has asked again 🤣

@arthurfonzerelli yes a lot of young people think its all a bit in your face , as in they give zero shits what people want to do be called etc but don't want it forced upon them.

Oh behave.

you’re so wrong about all this it’s laughable.

Maybe men are far less likely to follow every fad and trend like sheep.

There are many women who aren’t natally female.

That just isn't true.

Why does it matter though how you present?

I was very surprised to hear in an organisation wide (public sector) meeting this week a speaker stand up and announce his pronouns before he spoke. I won't be doing that.

A good time to bust out an Orwell quote I feel.

The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command

More like women are socialised to “be kind”.

the young women I know who use pronouns in signatures think they are “helping” trans and NB people- if other people do it they will feel supported in revealing their own pronouns.

men just aren’t brought up to consider others in the same way.

Because for some people, the forced use of pronouns goes against their protected beliefs.

Impossible.

As a woman, 'gender' has caused me nothing but trouble. Like most women I've faced a good deal of sex-based discrimination in my workplace. I've also been stalked and sexually-harassed in my workplace. Owing to a changed, 'inclusive' policy, my stalker could now follow me into female facilities and there would be nothing I could do to stop him.

Having fostered that environment of bullying and sexism, my workplace now have no right to demand that I draw attention to the (protected characteristic) that led to these situations in the first place. Hell will freeze over before I willingly - or unwillingly for that matter - gleefully announce the basis of my own oppression every time I enter a meeting or send an email.

They can fuck right off. I will never comply. This is the hill I'm willing to die on.

Completely agree it is not inclusive it is divisive and political. We do not declare other political statements when we are signing off so I do not agree that this should be the same.

So women's sex based rights don't matter?

As the alternative to 'dinosaur' seems to be 'reality denying unicorn', I'm cool with it.

Several responses:

I’m not comfortable revealing my pronouns (refer them to the Yogyakarta Principles if queried)

Compelled speech (don’t know the specific law, but refer vaguely to British liberty and freedom of speech rights)

Cite research that when women draw attention to their SEX they are discriminated against

So women's sex based rights don't matter?

Apparently not, no. Vulnerable women are cheerfully thrown under the bus because of menz feelz.

My response to this is always the same.. (public sector) ... I haven't really decided yet but if pushed would err on the side of 'rainbow/fairy/unicorn ...' usually shuts them up. Have had a few pops from the inclusivity bullshitters to say I am being obstructive to an 'inclusive workplace' to which I respond that I now feel offended and marginalised because I feeeeeel like a rainbow/ fairy /unicorn. And how dare they 'other me' ...

Fgs. Every time this comes up people cry free speech. You're free to your speech mate. But people are still entitled to their reactions and opinions to that.

Ageist bigot