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[–]yousaythosethingsFind and Replace "gatekeeping" with "having boundaries" 15 insightful - 1 fun15 insightful - 0 fun16 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I think the way to handle it is to politely and indirectly make them feel silly for asking and make them question in their heads and have to justify why they’re asking you. If they already know you’re gay because they’ve looked you up online or from something on your resume, it will be helpful for them to call into question their expectation that you must be used to it and in favor of it.

I think acting genuinely bewildered and caught off guard but not dwelling on it is the best policy.

My what?

My pronouns??

My pronouns for what? Sorry, I’ve never been asked that before.

Then change the subject since this is a job interview.

. . . Only if they persist:

(For how you identify)

In terms of what? Sorry, I don’t understand.

Are you asking me if I’m male or female?

Then proceed to not work there.

[–]ArthnoldManacatsaman🇬🇧🌳🟦 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Then proceed to not work there.

Indeed.

Part of me thinks that my unrelenting need to be professional would override the urge to have a little fun with this kind of thing, especially if it were a job interview that I had worked really hard towards or it was a job I really wanted or I was desperate or something.

Then another part of me thinks that if this is a job interview question and they're deadly serious then this is clearly a place where I would not enjoy working, and my opinions will not be welcome. In which case, why not have a little fun? If one of the interviewers reflects on their ridiculous interview questions in light of your baffled 'what-the-hell-kind-of-linguistics-test-is-this?' response to their question, then perhaps it wasn't a complete waste of time after all.