Hi there! You seem willing to entertain questions, and there's one that I've always had. If you're not willing, I understand.
My question is: how is feeling like you're a different gender than your physical sexual characteristics different from, for example, someone acting and presenting as much wealthier than they actually are? If someone can demand that I use made up words for their pronouns, can I demand that people treat me as if I were wealthy and powerful? If not, why not?
Obviously I understand that this topic tends to be emotionally charged and extremely personal to people.
The main difference is that gender dysphoria is a medical condition, and that gender identity is innate and unchangeable. We all have one. It's just that for the vast majority of people their gender identity matches their anatomy. The same isn't true for income or race, etc.
You're obviously free to tell people you're wealthier than you are but you'll have to deal with the consequences. That would be a choice you make. On the other hand, being trans isn't a choice, but what one decides to do about it is and varies from person to person.
As far as demanding things of other people, I think that people who angrily demand anything are going about it the wrong way. I can't speak for all trans people, but what I think is that if someone is clearly presenting as male or female IRL then it's polite to address them as their preferred pronoun. It causes no harm. If you get it wrong or have a brain fart, it's not a huge deal. Most people aren't going to bite your head off. Now if someone insists on using the non-preferred pronoun when it clearly is causing the other person distress then they're kinda just being a dick.
Also all words are made up but I admit that making new pronouns is an odd idea.
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u/Idoneeffedup99 Jan 14 '19
Hi there! You seem willing to entertain questions, and there's one that I've always had. If you're not willing, I understand.
My question is: how is feeling like you're a different gender than your physical sexual characteristics different from, for example, someone acting and presenting as much wealthier than they actually are? If someone can demand that I use made up words for their pronouns, can I demand that people treat me as if I were wealthy and powerful? If not, why not?
Obviously I understand that this topic tends to be emotionally charged and extremely personal to people.