Preferred pronoun labels at childrens event

[StopitSarah]

I took my primary age children to a science event this weekend. It’s run by university students. Almost all of them had their preferred pronouns on their name labels.

AIBU to feel that was unnecessary and to feel a bit uneasy? One of my children wanted to know why “the man is saying we should say he/him. Isn’t that obvious?”

I asked one of the students who said it was to show support to any trans helpers and was for the benefit of the (adult) students, not the children.

I’m SO BORED and irritated by the trans agenda being every-bloody-where.

But AIBU? I had a good chat with one of the students and he said that they’re all science students and understand that woman = biological female is too simplistic. My brain exploded.

So you don't agree that males should have access to women's spaces?
Why tell us that you've never had any problems with this yourself, or known anyone that has, in that case?
What were we to do with that information? 🤨

Compelled speech indeed.

No-one's making you talk. Don't interact with people if you don't want to.

Young people are growing up with preferred pronouns. It's the reality so I don't see the value of fighting against it.

It's not just about bloody pronouns though, is it? They must signify something.

Is a male she/her a man or a woman?

Would a male she/her expect to use the women's changing rooms?

And so on.

It's a pity that the female suffragists never thought of changing gender. It would have solved the whole question of the right to vote.

Forcing pronouns on others is compelled speech.

A man can call himself a woman but I cannot be compelled to do so.

That you choose not to see this ideology for what it is is on you. Or, perhaps, you know exactly what it is and have come to tell women it's not so bad. Cool women like you are A-Ok with it?

No, don't do that childish crap 🙄
I'll interact with whoever I please, and I'll do it on my terms. If that's considered unacceptable, then it clearly is compelled speech.
If you're going to argue on this issue, you need to understand it properly first.
It appears you don't, so stop finger wagging, please.

It's tedious.

So the choice is use the pronouns that we're told to or stop interacting with people?
Is that actually what you're saying?

I don't agree that males should have access to women's spaces no.

I was proffering my personal experience like everyone else is. Given that everyone brought up women's spaces in a thread about name badges I thought it was appropriate to offer some context. Men in women's spaces isn't something that's personally affected me so I'm bewildered by the frequency the discussion moves onto the subject. I think it reveals a lot of fear, often justified, but also bigotry, which isn't. You can refer to people by their prefer without wanting men in women's spaces, to constantly steer the discussion that way is simplistic and reductive.

Well, you did also say that if we didn't get with the times we'd be bitter and irrelevant, causing our children harm. I'd say that was fairly simplistic and reductive.

Presumably you force your pronoun? Or are you not bothered?

Things aren't clear for everyone and sometimes they need stating. You'll have to come to terms with that. That's not to say you can't call out individual examples of entitled, self-indulgent behaviour. Everyone's different. No-one's perfect.

And if wider society uses pronouns as a show of solidarity, why do you care?

If you don't have empathy for your own kids then you'll damage them.

Of course it's simplistic, but heartbreakingly so.

I'm saying if you're feeling compelled, then maybe just don't bother?

You make human interaction sound like a chore when it's one of life's joys.

I'm just interacting with people, the only compulsion I have is for empathy and understanding. It's always stood me in good stead.

If you don't have empathy for your own kids then you'll damage them.

Whereas puberty blockers and mastectomies do no harm at all, of course.

Presumably you force your pronoun? Or are you not bothered?
How could she force her pronoun? It'll be assumed that it's she/her, as she's a woman; without any input from her at all, let alone any "forcing".

Things aren't clear for everyone and sometimes they need stating.

Amazing how we all managed for milenia without having to announce our sex, isn't it?

These badges are no more than an indication of whether you believe in gender or you don't. I don't believe.

I don't care what people call me, I guess they will correctly sex me. Never had an issue with it!

We managed for millennia with dysentery and cholera, dying at 30.

Things move on. You can accept that or you can shout at the clouds.

You make human interaction sound like a chore when it's one of life's joys
No, it's compelled speech that has introduced the chore element, believe me.

And why would you assume I don't have empathy for my own kids?

Life must be so tiring for you.

I have plenty of empathy for my kids. Still don't believe that declaring a gender means a human being changes sex and still don't believe an appropriate response to being gender non conforming is a pathway of medicalisation or harm, but you do you.

Again, I didn't say that. Chill out.

"If" was the operative word.

What a bizarre take on it
Those things were cured by modern medicine. The human body has not evolved to change sex at will.

Are you comparing gender ideology with cures for preventable diseases?

We don't need to cure what doesn't need fixing Mary.

Why do you think children can be born in the wrong bodies? That's awful.

Not in the least. Why would it?

Seems to me the only compulsion you have is for superiority and snidey comments, but we're all interpret our own behaviour from a slanted perspective I guess.