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[–]GenderbenderShe/her/hers 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

But the point is, it's become culturally unacceptable to not use the pronouns asked of you. It's become dangerous to careers, family relationships, general social standing. You are labeled a "bigot" and equated to someone who commits hate crimes and does not accept homosexuality or people of other races.

First people are entitled to their opinions and if they feel you're a bigot, that is their right. You are more than welcome to find friends who agree with you. There are sites and apps specifically to meet people who share your interests.

But isn't this forcing someone to use pronouns?

It's not. She has every right not to use Riley's preferred pronouns. I have every right not to listen to her. It goes both ways.

[–]emptiedriver 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

It's not. She has every right

Once again, couldn't we say that I have every right to murder someone (or, how about, punch someone in the face), I just have to accept that I might get arrested and sent to jail for it? To say someone has "every right" to do something except that it comes with certain social limitations is very misleading. If I want to be your friend, I do not have "every right" to use the biological pronouns, right? If I want to be part of your social circle, I have to agree to use the requested pronouns.

As you say, I can choose to not be your friend, but can I choose to not work at my job, go to my school, attend my co-op meetings or whatever other places the issue might come up? At what point does it go from politely respecting differences to attempting to insure that the wrong form of thinking ends? You can say you aren't "forcing" ideas, but are there things you don't believe that you also don't exile people from your social circle for believing (maybe some on the animal rights, abortion, death penalty, jesus, metaphysics scale..) ?

[–]GenderbenderShe/her/hers 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

You can always find another social circle.

[–]emptiedriver 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Fine, but can I always find another job, school, neighborhood? And should I have to due to a difference in belief? We don't request that people publicly agree to certain or even popular thinking when it comes to other political or religious thinking