The whole non-binary/pronoun thing is driving me insane

A work at a place where several people lately have been hired on who are either trans or identify differently than what, from the naked eye, is their biological gender. I misgendered someone today and one of my coworkers who is also identifying as NB seemed a little annoyed at the confusion; while I became more annoyed that ‘they’ (non personal pronoun) referred to them (non personal pronoun) as ‘they’ (new personal pronoun).

Not only that, I have a coworker now who previously identified as a queer woman who was lesbian, now she is NB too, and she’s changed her name as well.

This is becoming oppressive and they don’t realize it. The need to be more and more special and have everyone else cater to your special needs to make you feel more important, like you’re not a normal part of society. It’s ridiculous and I’m getting fed up and I believe I have no choice for my mental health to move on from this employer and avoid anyone who shares this ideology.

Im a gay man so these people are supposed to be my kin, but I find difficulty supporting their lifestyle and making any sense of their decisions, let alone find irritation when something that is seen as normal to do (to gender someone, to assume anything that’s normal or common sense).

Thoughts?

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Comments ( 45 )
  • KholatKhult

    Using “they” is incredibly easy and comes naturally to even native English speakers.
    I know this because I see them use it for singular individuals all the time whether they be a “preferred pronoun” or not.
    It’s just now people try to act like it’s impossible just to be irritating and defiant.

    Quit being such a brat over it mate, do you get this upset when a dude named Johnson wants to be called John ?
    Do you refuse to use the ‘correct’ Ms/Mrs, which depends on marriage status, when referring to a woman ?
    Do you get upset when people refer to someone of seniority as Sir, or Ma’am ?
    Is the practice of using terms like “excuse me”, “please”, “thank you”, “bless you” too much effort for you ?
    These are all simple social rules based on “imaginary” standards of politeness. If you want to be an ass, be an ass, but don’t expect people to like you.

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    • LloydAsher

      Dont expect for people to change how they refer to you based on how you are personally feeling.

      If you look male people will refer to you with male pronouns.

      Dont know how gendered languages deal with trans persons, but seeing how americans still refuse the metric system. I'm gonna say that we arent gonna change how one uses pronouns anytime soon.

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    • donkeykong716

      Seems like you’re the one who is irritated by what I’ve said.

      This isn’t just about politeness. Of course I can ‘abide’ and respect peoples wishes. The point is, which you miss, is that it just doesn’t make sense.
      Hypothetical:
      This is not about Nicholas asking people to only refer to him as Nicky. And if someone did call him Nick, or his full name, it shouldn’t be a big deal. Maybe he gets triggered because his abusive mother called him Nicholas and he refuses to be called that. Whatever, that’s fine, although it’s still his legal name.

      What I’m talking about is like Nicholas asking people to refer to him as David, which lets say isn’t even his middle name. Sure, dude, I’ll call you David all you want, but it’s not gonna change my ability to make me think you’re crazy or just attention seeking.

      End of story.

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  • Curiouskitten444

    Ask yourself why cant you accept this? Then ask why again and keep going until you get to the root problem. This isn't about them, its about you. Accepting life is the fastest way to peace.

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    • hauntedbysandwiches

      It's about these mentally ill people

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      • Curiouskitten444

        Not it's about not accepting life as it is.

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        • hauntedbysandwiches

          Lol you're one of them. You need to grow up sooner or later.

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          • Curiouskitten444

            Alrighty then

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    • donkeykong716

      Yeah it’s a good point.

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  • hauntedbysandwiches

    My gay friends don't support the non binary stuff at all nor do I.

    There was a girl at the store my friend worked at, her coworker that was working with her was gender fluid. One day she'd literally announce "my pronouns are they/him" and the literal next day I kid you not she would say "today I'm she/her" and the next day "he/him" etc. My friend in her 30s and her older coworkers in their 50s just kept referring to her as her because that's what she is and she got so angry she had a nervous breakdown.

    My friend literally said to a customer "she can help you on register 2" and the non binary gender fluid nonsense girl who was using he/him that day made a scene saying today she was identifying as male.

    Imagine this a woman in her 70s comes up to your register, you're counting money and you tell the woman "sorry ma'am I'm closed go to the man at register 2" when the person standing at register 2 is a female with boobs.. MAKES NO SENSE.

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  • raisinbran

    Easiest solution is to keep your distance from those things.

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    • donkeykong716

      Yeah, I need to get away from it, mentally and physically, but it’s in my face everyday now.

      They’re brainwashed. This is actual, literal brainwashing happening. I’m having arguments and diatribes with myself because it gets me so mad.

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    • ospry

      That's harsh. Trans people are still people, and for the most part it's usually straight, CIS liberals who shit themselves over mis-pronouning someone

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      • LloydAsher

        Until that CIS liberal is your boss and now everyone has to abide by said labels.

        That's 100% bullshit. Using the wrong pronoun isnt like using a slur. Especially when its linked directly to millennia old practices of being able to identify based on sex.

        Making people have to complicate the basic observation is bullshit. So if normal trans people want this crap to stop they have to stop having liberals act as their bodyguards.

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        • ospry

          I agree. I actually hadn't thought of scenarios like your boss being one of those people with a rod stuck up their ass. I still stand by what I said about it being harsh though. I don't know what's going on in any given trans person's life or mind, and I'm sure being referred to it as "things" or "it" doesn't help

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          • LloydAsher

            In my perspective when you are in the transperpersons point of view it's all bad except when you refer to them how they want. Which is bad for me since I understand it in the same line of telling an anorexic they are fat. Telling people what they want to hear when objectively they are not is dangerous.

            I agree, I wish that the "it" usage didnt boil down to being inhumane. Then again I think its inhumane to reinforce a mental delusion. But to the trans person its inhumane to be called anything else besides their perfered pronouns.

            In my usage "it" is my moderate position on how to go about it. Not Zee or Zer, that's just catering to a different delusion.

            I could willfully "misgender" if that was somehow better than calling a human person an it. Because I will not call an apple an orange for the sanity of the apple.

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            • donkeykong716

              It really feels like a case of needing total special exclusionary treatment. This almost reminds me of some member of royalty, announcing to his lower peers, you will refer to me as such and such only. It’s starting to seem more and more like a control tactic and the need to vastly validate their existence, because their identity has been skewed and pinholed into such a small spectrum. It’s actually very childish when you think of it, throwing tantrums and such about being referred the wrong way. But the messed up part is it’s not about John wanting to only be called Johnny, it’s like his whole world revolves around being Johnny, and that world isn’t even based on science.

              There are some things in life we get tired of or used to it. Or we can become enraged every time. Like an effeminate straight man who is constantly thought of as gay; or the gay man who is more masc who gets annoyed when people tell him “you’re not gay enough”.

              It’s kind of like that. But there are more important things in life and the majority of this nonsense involves other people, strangers, etc whose behavior really shouldn’t have much value in anyones life.

              Imagine a true trans person going to work, going into an elevator and an associate in a different office bumps into him (the trans woman) but says “excuse me miss”. Should that trans person (or let alone NB) get all ruffled and be like “no, I’m a man”.
              No. Because no one does and no one should, not even the dudes who have a petite body and wear a pony tail and get misgendered all the time, or the more boyish looking girls who aren’t even lesbian. Like, these people are acting like it’s just happening to them and everyone else needs to conform. Or rather, comply. Maybe it’s not as bad as internet gurus and opinionators are making it seem, but it is out there and it is strange, unusual and just stay away from it.

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  • Hubbard

    Yeah I agree

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  • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

    just start callin em that and thus and thee and thou and thine or whatever then claim forgetfulness / confusion

    if youre gonna quit you might as well have some fun with it

    and on the way out let em know exactly what you said here

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    • LloydAsher

      I got one of those superficial lordship titles from Scotland as a birthday gift. So I can technically have people refer to me as Lord Asher... I'm not an obnoxious asshole so I wont.

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  • LloydAsher

    I have special reasons to hold bias against those who are non binary and trans. Why?

    Having three sex chromosomes and thus being medically intersex is the primary.

    Klienfelters gets brought up in EVERY GOD DAMN conversation as a "what if?" Question. As the "example" for why nonbinary and trans is a rational concept because of the existence of a mutation.

    I am genetically, physically closer to the other sex than 99% of the non binary/transpeople. Yet here I am as a male, in a mostly male body. No dysmorphia here.

    Making it 100% a mental issue. If it was a physucal issue wouldnt I be suffering under is effects?

    If you are an adult fine. Do whatever with your body. But don't come indoctrinating children into thinking being trans is cool when in all likelyhood they could just be gay and confused about their sexuality. That winds you up on my shit list fast.

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    • donkeykong716

      This is really interesting. I agree about the teachings! No shit about them potentially growing up gay, but because of this stuff, they go on puberty blockers or have surgery to cut their dick off…

      I have seen at least TWO gay ‘men’ on the internet (both manly, one very scruffy and furry) identify as NB/queer while being in a relationship with other men. As a gay men it’s a complete WTF, doesn’t that mean you’re actually almost straight or bi if you’re saying you’re NB or can be whatever gender you feel like?

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      • LloydAsher

        Furry as in bear or furry as in fox suit?

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        • donkeykong716

          Sorry should clarify, furry as in sweater vest chest 😉

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          • LloydAsher

            Alright. That picture makes more sense.

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    • KholatKhult

      Why do you take testosterone ?

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      • LloydAsher

        Balls dont work. On the account that my genetics told them not to work. Parts of my body think it's the other sex, nothing major or anything but my reproductive organs are sterile and the tissue in my pecks are more prone to being boob like in consistancy.

        It's like a city and you have a random industrial space in the middle of a residential area, it was planned but all it does is complicate the surroundings. Doesnt make the city super efficent but then again doesnt hamper it too badly. The industrial space just doesnt do anything besides providing an eyesore.

        XXY the Y is still intact so I suppose that's why I'm male. But I have an extra crappy X that messes some functions up. Definitely shaved some potential iq points off, but mostly regained if not surpassed them through tough constructive schooling when I was young.

        As for the intensity of klienfelters I would be put in the mild category as that extra X isnt a "full" X chromosome just a partial one, so I'm only partially fucked up. The more advanced it is the more fucked over you are.

        In my opinion Turner's syndrome (female with an extra X) is WAY worse. Met a female and a good chunk of her organs were semi functional and cut down on her life expectancy by 20+ years.

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    • donkeykong716

      Re-reading this. So you’ve had no dysmorphia? You’ve always felt male, believed yourself to be male, even with some female parts/third chromosome? Have you ever thought of yourself as trans? (I’m guessing not, because trans-suggests in transition)

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      • LloydAsher

        Nope never doubted being male. Having a penis helps dispel any doubt.

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    • donkeykong716

      Also right it’s a mutation, and I’m assuming /guessing an exceedingly RARE MUTATION…. True intersex is rare.

      You know what’s fucked up? Their main argument is that gender is a social construct and yada yada. But the more I look at it, the whole non-binary, gender neutral thing is actually a social construct. PURE HYPROCRISY AND PROJECTION!

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      • LloydAsher

        Not as rare as one might think. My strain of klienfelters is 1/800 male births. Half of those are instantly diagnosed, other half has to get the news broken later in life.

        True hermaphrodites are extremely, extremely rare. Talking about only a dozen cases in human history kind of rare. With degrees in severe that taper off until its unknown to the individual.

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  • MonteMetcalfe

    I know the feeling.
    If you appear to be a man, I assume you are a man.
    If you appear to be a woman, I assume you are a woman.
    It's been that way for 1,000's of years.
    I can't read minds to know what anyone "self-identifies" as unless they wearing a sign.

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    • donkeykong716

      Right! There have always been androgynous people who totally still identified as either men or women, albeit it’s probably a begrudging thing they get used to when they are misgendered . (Like getting hit on by the bar. Or me as a gay man thinking this guy is hot, and oh shit, it’s a girl!)

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    • LloydAsher

      Even if they label themselves I wont uphold that shit. I dont hand out titles for free. Unless you got a medical doctorate I dont even refer to you as dr.

      If you are trans then great, I'll throw some pity your way. But I wont reinforce the dysmorphia, I'd do the same with people who are anorexic.

      People who are non binary get zilch respect from me. Doesnt exist. Because if it did it I would be the perfect physical example to non binary but since I am a male those monopoly bucks dont mean shit.

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      • hauntedbysandwiches

        Exactly you don't tell schizophrenics I hear the voices too lol same thing

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        • donkeykong716

          Although I wonder what would happen if you did, not trying to be sickening, but maybe it would actually snap them out of their delusion, which is based on them hearing the voices… or maybe not lol

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  • 555

    I believe people have a right to use whatever pronouns they want, but you also have a right to feel uncomfortable with that. Different strokes for different folks. Sadly most places are not open to healthy debate and negotiation, so if you can find a better job, move on. If you can't, try to politely reduce your interactions with these coworkers without making it too obvious.

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  • Iambillythemenacetosociety

    Uh, actually, I can relate to these people.

    I identify as a narwhal whale and my pronouns are nar/whal. I expect people to call me by pronouns.

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  • Tommythecaty

    I don’t really notice it all.

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  • ospry

    Making an honest mistake because somebody doesn't pass as the opposite gender shouldn't be grounds for punishment or getting fired. But that's where we're at

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  • donkeykong716

    Certainly the reality of the situation feels oppressive; there’s lots of things in life that can feel that way. The heat in Texas, oppressive. Another person telling me what I can and should not say, can feel controlling, which can also feel oppressive. Unless one is willing to submit to the circumstances in life, which is unavoidable at times but I best hope most people try not to. My point: I will fight it because it makes me feel a certain way; the moment I stopped fighting it means either I’ve given up or I’ve succomb to the reality of the situation and there is little to much I can do about it, and then it may not feel so oppressive anymore.

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  • 1WeirdGuy

    I been talking to this dude on discord for like 2 years now while I'm trucking everyday and the other day he just argued in support of how they're teaching kids this gender bullshit in schools. I cant talk to dude anymore. I can not respect anyone who wants to teach this shit to impressionable kids. To me its even worse than being a p3d0. You should be beaten severely.

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    • donkeykong716

      Dude there’s a some crazy stuff out there, like in Portland they’re teaching this stuff in some of the classrooms and it’s scary but also saddening. Gender is not something you get to choose, unless due to gender dysphoria or some other internal disagreement you believe you are not the assigned sex you are.

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  • Tinybird

    yeah fuck that shit

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