Now listen here all you he/him, she/her, they/them people. Let's get this pronoun argument sorted once and for all. It is, afterall, very, very simple when you come at it from a different, a human, angle.
Now I have not one shred of problem with whatever gender people wish to be, not one shred. I don't even think about it, it's as natural to me to let people decide their own fate as breathing. And me, as a completely separate living entity, has no right to dictate (unless of course other people are damaged in the process), how somebody wishes to live their life.
None, not one shred and how dare I think otherwise.
Humans are humans, they live, they die, they cry, they laugh, they love, they don't. We are the very same.
But...
...pronouns.
Now I've trodden the path of 'enough is enough' up to this point. Changing the English language just to satisfy the will of the few, to completely thrown away part of my way of learning, to have to look over my shoulder with the ordinary language I use, is unacceptable.
I suspect that opinion is common amongest the 99.9% of she/her, he/him population. And how inward looking is that?
'Why the hell should I?' People say, me included,
Well...let's discuss this from a collective human being standpoint.
We are all so disconnected at the moment. Left and Right, Muslim and Christian, Black and White, Straight and Gay, all shouting from our respective tribes. NEVER have we been more apart, NEVER more angry. Right now, we need to be joined, but now we are divided.
And the use of they/them pronouns could be seen as another nail in the coffin of society. It could, but it shouldn't.
I have a caveat here, I don't know the rules of cross-gender, trans-gender, LGBTQ+ terminology and if anything here thus far has offended, then sorry, I have my stabliser wheels on. So you will have to meet me half-way (thats key, btw).
So here are my thoughts, my philosophy moving forwards, how I will base my approach to this tricky subject, and it is based on good old fashioned human kindness.
Imagine this. Speaking to a person of genre not aligned with mine, think how they would feel if I DID call them 'they', just think about that joyful feeling (for both of us). Maybe that person would feel valued instead of being vilified. Maybe some deep frustration and outward anger would subside.
Maybe, maybe they would feel happy...happy huh! How fantastic would it be to make at least one person happy, just for a bit.
And here's the wonderful side to this outlook, I ONLY USED A WORD. I made someone happy, just by changing a single word.
I once worked in a large organisation and there was a person transitioning from male to female. Back then a very, very bold move. Of course, they received lots of sideways glances, lots of mumbled comments.
But me, as I do today, I just saw a human being who has the right to be want they want to be. It was natural to me then to just call her 'girl', ' come on then girl, let's go' I'd say. And her face would light up EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I'm going to finish this short, short blog by going over the key part once again, just so as we know. Just so as we know how bloody simple the solution is.
I don't have to give anyone hours of my time, or huge lumps of cash to make them happy, properly happy I mean, simple happy, and maybe a little safer. I don't have to set up a standing order to pay a subscription each month, I don't have to queue for hours, or drive a 1000 miles.
To make someone happy, I just have to change a single word.
They, them or whatever they wish to be called.
And who doesn't want to make another person happy in such as simply way, eh?
