>> I dislike presumptive gendering :[ and often wonder how my life would be without it. <<
I'd say about as much as you have felt genderboxed by other people's assumptions about your presumed gender. I have realized that I didn't get a chance to find out who I really was because I was genderboxed into constructing a cishet identity. I;m working out from the rubble of that identity now.
>> I so wish that the norm in our language/society was default gender neutral/genderless pronouns. <<
I decided a couple years ago to start trying to push things in that direction by using singular they in any case where either I or the person I am talking with does not have explicit knowledge of that person's gender -- and not to make assumptions based on appearance. If someone I'm talking with tries that, I'm pushing back by saying that I haven't engaged with that person, so have no way of knowing their gender. Further attempts can get me to ask, "Are you going to do anything with that gender besides stereotype?" Maybe it won't have an effect, but it might get people thinking.
The next step I'm working on comes from that place. If gender is irrelevant to what is being discussed, it would be nice if singular they could be used. This is not by way of denying someone's declared gender, but by way of detaching their gender from an interaction that should be, but often is not, gender-free.
no subject
I'd say about as much as you have felt genderboxed by other people's assumptions about your presumed gender. I have realized that I didn't get a chance to find out who I really was because I was genderboxed into constructing a cishet identity. I;m working out from the rubble of that identity now.
>> I so wish that the norm in our language/society was default gender neutral/genderless pronouns. <<
I decided a couple years ago to start trying to push things in that direction by using singular they in any case where either I or the person I am talking with does not have explicit knowledge of that person's gender -- and not to make assumptions based on appearance. If someone I'm talking with tries that, I'm pushing back by saying that I haven't engaged with that person, so have no way of knowing their gender. Further attempts can get me to ask, "Are you going to do anything with that gender besides stereotype?" Maybe it won't have an effect, but it might get people thinking.
The next step I'm working on comes from that place. If gender is irrelevant to what is being discussed, it would be nice if singular they could be used. This is not by way of denying someone's declared gender, but by way of detaching their gender from an interaction that should be, but often is not, gender-free.
What are your thoughts on this?