These self obsessed people, where have they come from ?

[SirVixofVixHall]

This was in my email inbox this morning. Sigh. There have been other articles like this recently. The bullying undertone, the entitlement. This is someone “non binary”. So someone just like everyone else. Apart from the patronising hectoring tone, it is all so tedious. BORING, BORING, BORING. Must make for some very earnest and deathly dull parties. Where are all the wonderful GNC people with their interesting outfits, self deprecation and wit ? I know that this is from America, but stil.. Never mind generation snowflake, this is more generation dreary. No irony, no self awareness, no sense of humour.
Is this all down to identity politics ? Is this teaching ? Parenting? The product of a decadent and privileged environment ?

I feel despair at the environmental disasters looming, and what my daughters might be facing, yet there is a generation of people spending their time policing how others refer to them, when they aren’t even present.

Here is the link. Doh medium.com/@dr_eprice/when-how-to-ask-about-pronouns-b7fc24df6653

Christ let's just all never interact with one another ever again. They should have just entitled it "How to never make any friends, ever and have everyone you ever meet think you're a tedious, joyless bore". Though I did enjoy bits of it -

You could just blurt out “what are your pronouns” as soon as you see a person with an asymmetrical haircut

Think I might start doing this to strangers I pass on the street! Cos I'm so woke.

Oh God, can't be bothered to read that. When I saw the badge that says 'Ask me about my pronouns', I immediately thought of those invitations on tradesmen's vans - the ones that invite you to 'ask the driver about our chimney sweeping services' or 'ask the driver about having your windows cleaned'. The day I ask about pronouns will be the day I've taken leave of the last of my senses.

So if you’re at a random Midwestern brewpub or a Cub’s game, don’t ask the stranger next to you for their pronouns

If one were at any sports or cultural event anywhere in the world what possible need is there to ask the stranger next to you for their pronouns?

I go to many concerts, opera , ballet on my own. Often the person sitting next to me will make polite chit chat during the intervals about what we've just seen. No pronouns are needed.

And that is aside of course from the dreadful classist assumption by this writer that the persons referred to are uneducated , unkind boors.

Hahahaha. So true.
Three years ago I would have assumed that this was yank nonsense and would never catch on here, as it is so alien to our self deprecating , sarcastic, humorous culture. But like a virus ,it is spreading. When I was a student, Greenham Common was something several of my friends took part in. We were marching for nuclear disarmament and in support of striking miners.
Now it is no-platforming brilliant and interesting women, and thugishly hounding anyone who disagrees.

I just call everyone under 40 "it" or "that".

Life is so much clearer if you offend absolutely everyone.
ps I don't but I'm on the verge of it as I'm so sick of it all.

‘’Ask me about my stamp collection!’’

Except that might be interesting. A better analogy would be

‘’Beware landmines’’

Because this really is someone begging you to make a mis-step so they can explode.

I think those badges sound like a pretty good idea actually. You'd know who to avoid.

Yy Lass I was going to comment on that too. Both bonkers and very revealing about themselves.

Beware Landmines ! Absolutely.
If I spotted a “My Pronouns Are... “ badge, like the tardis my brain would translate it to “ I am a self obsessed twat” .

I hope think that so many of these kids will grow up, calm the fuck down and look back cringing at their earnest youth.

"I don’t have the energy to navigate that shit all the time. "

Too damn right. Neither do I.

I think the onus is on the person who might have non-typical pronouns to let other people know. If it's that important to them to have their preferred pronouns or name used, then they have to tell us. We are not telepathic. And yes, I think there's often an element of waiting for an unwitting person to step on a mine.

However, I do applaud the comment about asymmetrical haircuts. That shows a degree of humour and self-awareness!

A vivid demonstration of intense self-obsession if we ever needed one. I mean, who gives a monkey's about this berk's pronouns, or anyone else's for that matter?

I am grateful I work from home! Just me and the dog and we get on fine without any discussion of preferred pronouns!

I did almost put my foot in it at a local cafe, actually. The 6ft3 purple-haired* barista had a badge saying She/her in twirly writing.

I had the wrong glasses on, and thought it was a very unusual spelling of Sheila.

DD luckily enlightened me before I could politely ask Sheila for more milk.

*The purple hair was definitely true. The 6ft3 is my best guess as a shortarse.

the dreadful classist assumption by this writer that the persons referred to are uneducated , unkind boors

Well, you know, marginal step up from assuming that lads in Moss Side want to beat up trans people due to their feral, subhuman natures. Small mercies, all that!

You can't help but think these twits could have done with some parenting in the authoritative style, can you?

Even though my dog does get called a female dog quite often (when we are out and about) he doesn’t seem that bothered tbh.

What a minefield! Do they have nothing better to do?!

Didn’t Louis XIV keep the nobles in check with elaborate rules and ceremonies requiring lots of expensive clothing and accessories? Kept them from rebelling because it tied up their time, money and energy. This kind of reminds me of that.

Lots of baroque rules about when and where and how to address someone. Lots of baroque rules about when it’s okay to ask someone how they want to be addressed. Keeps people on their toes, walking on eggshells. Keeps them occupied with something that is ultimately frivolous and meaningless.

I run a workshop on how to correct misgendering

Well there's an afternoon of your life you're never going to get back.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall though. Lots of role play, pretending to be at a party or in a shop and displaying woke mental gymnastics to avoid misgendering Karen with the beard who is a non-binary lesbian father.

Then trying to remember what they've learnt at lunch break when offering round the unicorn rainbow sponge.

I fucking love you mumsnetters. I am having an indulgent morning reading along chuckling.

The 6ft3 purple-haired barista had a badge saying She/her in twirly writing. I had the wrong glasses on, and thought it was a very unusual spelling of Sheila. DD luckily enlightened me before I could politely ask Sheila for more milk.*

This is genius though. I might "misunderstand" if I ever see a pronoun badge (obvs not in a work setting) and start calling the person "Hehim".

• Sorry, your name's not Hehim?
• No, that's my pronoun.
• Sorry, what's your pronoun Hehim?
• My name's not Hehim.
• Why do you have a name badge with Hehim on then?
• Ok thanks for that I think I've got it now, Hehim.

Etc etc...

Lol what a twat

I completely agree op. It's all such a waste of fucking energy.

I saw this ridiculousness on IG today. So basically you can be female, look stereotypically female and change nothing about yourself and still have a trans identity and take yourself far too seriously. Ok then.

Oh and it's such a shame these complete bores are trampling on so much good stuff too. The aggression of it all. The policing.

I read some of it. I am stuck between misgendering being really awful but also not being allowed to ask someone's pronouns.

I can't even say half the pronouns.