A question for you about ‘gender’

Okay, maybe a few questions.

• Have you personally, in real life, actually known or been approached by someone who told you to your face that you are obliged to call them by some strange, mystical fairy (pro)noun?
• Has your job actually threatened to fire you over not using someone’s exceedingly rare and outrageous preferred term(s) of address?
• Has anyone ever harassed or threatened, or, I don’t know — murdered you — for something or another about not being ‘woke enough’?
  Personally, I’ve never heard of a single act of violence specifically targeting non-woke people, but I’ve heard of an awful. fucking. lot. of violence against queer people. (Feel free to enlighten me, but I would bet my bottom dollar that there are quite a few more cases of my point on record).

So, what exactly are you worried about here?

Tell me about your personal dystopia, in all its oppressive and linguistic glory, in great detail.

Tell me about the stares and jeers and little shots of vitriol you are taking in stride, all day, every day, every meeting, every errand, every moment — in this proposed hellscape.

Tell me all about the acquaintances and coworkers and friends and loved ones who, at very best, say to your face that ‘sure, you can be anything you want to be-’

when you’re finally just…yourself and actually able to feel this whole ‘want’ thing (or any emotions, really) for the first time in your life, in the first place.

Oh, wait. I’m talking about a reality after all. But it’s not yours.

In short, you’re being reactionary.

I’m a guy on a lifesaving medication, and you — not the perpetually online and ridiculously overanalyzed minority you’re so utterly horrified about— are the real and growing threat to my honest story and my life.

Be kind,

slow down,

and consider the collateral damage of your fear.