Quote from: Stephe on December 29, 2012, 11:38:31 PM
someone clearly is trying to present as ____ and they misgender you ...
We had this discussion over Christmas when watching an episode of Cake Boss with Miss Richfield, a drag queen. People were calling her he, others she. As far as the internet is concerned, Miss Richfield is a character played by a man who is not a transwoman (as far as I can tell).
I tried to explain that when someone presents as a woman and calls herself Miss Ridgefield, then you should address her with female pronouns, even though you know the person behind the character is male. This should be true of anyone you see dressed as female, whether they pass or not, whether they are in costume or not. Address them as they present. When Miss Richfield is not in costume and is presenting as male, then address him by his male name and with male pronouns.
Conversely, you should address people how they wish to be addressed, regardless of how well they pass. One of my friends has been unable to present as herself, and at times looks very male, but I use female pronouns because I know she is a woman even though she might not look as feminine as she would like.
Common courtesy.
I was misgendered by someone who knew me back when, who hasn't seen me for a while. I get it; they're not used to it. But what really gets me are mothers who overly identify with being a MOM. They can't get past that word MOM and keep referring to me as MOM (your MOM to my kids) and it is nauseating. Yes, I may have physically given birth, but I was never a mother. I am not a MOM. Then I was unknowingly outed to an acquaintance that has always known me as male, and suddenly they were effing up pronouns. I was livid.
Jay