Ditto Bromp, though I have seen it a lot. I found it useful when dealing with email senders with names from different cultures where I couldn't easily assess the senders gender.
I avoided using them (in hindsight, perhaps selfishly - but not deliberately so) because my name - is traditionally male.
When addressing emails, I used first names (avoiding requesting of Christian name - 'cause that can cause offence also), usually proceeded by "Hi", unless I was annoyed when it was just the first name. If writing a letter it was "Dear Bob Cratchit" - avoiding gender altogether.
I have absolutely no problem with people who legitimately want / need to change gender. I have met some lovely people in the wrong gender and who are transitioning or who had transitioned.
What I think is concerning, is that there are some people that are not legitimately transitioning and are pretending to be one gender to get access to that genders facilities (toilets, changing rooms etc.) just to get kicks or so that they can intimidate others / gain access to otherwise safe spaces. How you police this is beyond me!?
As I understand it, a biological male with a gender recognition certificate to female can get access to safe female spaces including female only wards at hospitals or hostels for battered women for example. In theory, a biological female with a gender recognition certificate to male who is pregnant, could be refused access to a maternity ward. I am happy to be corrected if I understand this wrong. Again, I have no problems for legitimate people changing genders, but it does make for some legal and ethical oddities.
What is also a concern is the vitriolic attacks against those with different views on the subject, including hounding people out of their jobs etc. and that can't be right - it is almost like "thought crime" from 1984.
Last edited by: zippy on Thu 19 Dec 24 at 20:27
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