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Originally Posted by Damien
Is this case though would you use the pronouns of their new gender?
Transmen and Transwomen by far represent the bulk of people who believe their gender doesn't match their biological sex. I know there are people who believe that there are other genders but these are a small minority within a minority.
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Well I’ll let you into a secret - I have an acquaintance (I’d call friend, but not close) who is transitioning; taking hormones and changed name. No longer a she. And yes, I use ‘his’ new name and refer to him as ‘he’ most of the time, though it depends on context. Legally she is still female and her birth certificate still has her given name on it.
This individual is under proper medical care and insisting on referring to them by their chromosomally-determined sex would be socially and psychologically unhelpful.
Tolerance and respect isn’t two dimensional. A bit of contextual wisdom is required, and there is always going to be a grey area that needs careful navigation. However, I am yet to come across a convincing reason why I should affirm the critical theory that underlies gender studies by choosing to affirm what appears to me to be a fiction or to indulge individuals who believe their gender is theirs to choose from a seemingly infinite continuum.