# Do the existing rules prohibit people from debating the gender of people who identify as transgender?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272
**Category:** About This Message Board
**Created:** [December 5, 2020, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272 "2020-12-05T05:45:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 20
### Author:  [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/381 "2020-12-08T23:30:51Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Deliberately misgendering a public person is being a jerk or threadshitting.
I’m reading through the J.K. Rowlings thread. I found a post that I think will violate the fourth bulletin point of your proposed policy/rules as quoted. It is [this post](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/855795/810),
> [@J K Rowling and the trans furore](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/j-k-rowling-and-the-trans-furore/855795/810):
>
> Jonathan Yaniv - I will not deign to pretend that piece of shit is a woman - is a sexual predator, a nutcase, and a scumbag.
Would this post come within the policy you are pushing for?
~Max
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2020, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/382 "2020-12-08T23:33:22Z")
I’m not going into that damned thread and as **Colibri** posted above (that I missed earlier)
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> We don’t answer hypotheticals. If the day ever comes when such an event transpires on the board, report it and we’ll deal with it.
Also nothing is close to be codified yet.
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### Author:  [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/383 "2020-12-08T23:46:08Z")
Upon reflection, it was probably bad taste to bring that up. I apologize.
~Max
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### Author:  [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/384 "2020-12-08T23:49:45Z")
Neologisms arise and some catch on and some don’t. It’s not like we can predict which ones will. If they work, they catch on. If they leave everyone scratching their heads, they don’t. But that does not mean people should not bother proposing them.
> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> > [@JRDelirious](#):
> >
> > whether the society is providing enough protections for everyone both as to equal rights and as to safe space
>
> would need to be heavily modded to direct it away from the “pervert in the women’s toilet” wildly exaggerated boogeyman-type clusterfuck that the Rowling thread became.
True. I believe that the sort of improvements being sought will in many areas require attentive moderation until the general board culture adjusts. Not in the least to watch for those who’d be testing how far they can go before the whistle blows.
.
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> > [@filmore](#):
> >
> > But I could also see the policy being that any gender-neutral pronoun is allowed and if you’re offended being referred to as ze, that’s your problem.
>
> Thanks, I can agree to that.
Sure, though if someone does make it clearly known “I take ‘SHE/HER’” pronouns, we should respect her wishes.
> [@k9bfriender](#):
>
> There is a large difference between asking a question that one is truly confused about and taking a “prove me wrong” stance.
Right, as I said above we’ll have to be watchful as to winnowing out informative questioning and JAQing.
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### Author:  [@Dark\_Sponge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Sponge)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/385 "2020-12-09T00:05:45Z")
I personally wish there were no banned topics whatsoever and Flat-Earthers and 911-Truthers were welcomed here. But as someone else said, SDMB is no longer on a quest to eradicate ignorance, it’s a social club. I’d add echo chamber to that description.
This isn’t my preference but I do enjoy the site for what it is.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/386 "2020-12-09T00:16:48Z")
> [@FigNorton](#):
>
> Sorry, are you guys defending random people making up their own words and just going ahead and using them in casual conversation?
Not only that, but if you dont use that new random word properly, you are thus labeled a bigot.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/388 "2020-12-09T00:20:43Z")
Some survive as alternate spellings and I often use them “Thru”, Nite, Tho, etc.
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### Author:  [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/389 "2020-12-09T00:29:29Z")
Right, but the ones that survived are easily discernible by the casual reader.
“e” and “es” are not.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/390 "2020-12-09T00:38:15Z")
True. Anyone can figure out: " the arrow went all the way _thru_ the target."
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/391 "2020-12-09T00:56:49Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#):
>
> Sure, though if someone does make it clearly known “I take ‘SHE/HER’” pronouns, we should respect her wishes.
But that’s restricting _my_ linguistic stance. I am actively trying to remove gender from language. That shouldn’t offend anyone. And taking offense shouldn’t be regarded as any different than DrDeth objecting to someone calling em cisgendered.
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### Author:  [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/392 "2020-12-09T01:03:08Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#):
>
> I don’t know whether these boards can be set up so that those to whom it matters can make their pronouns visible – I have seen that on some other boards.
Could an avatar have the information in it, or would the information be too small?
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### Author:  [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/393 "2020-12-09T01:09:46Z")
This seems like trying to solve problems that don’t exist yet. If there’s a big problem with people using the wrong pronouns inadvertently and offending other posters, we can look for solutions at that time.
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### Author:  [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/394 "2020-12-09T01:24:13Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> But that’s restricting _my_ linguistic stance. I am actively trying to remove gender from language. That shouldn’t offend anyone.
Sounds like a separate issue, though. You continue on toward that goal.
But meanwhile, in interacting with a specific individual, if that specific individual lets it be known they want to be addressed by a specific styling, I believe they should expect us to respect that. Not necessarily a matter of offense but of _it being the choice of the individual whose identity it is_ – it is not up to us to say “but our way to refer to you is better than your own choice”.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/395 "2020-12-09T01:28:43Z")
The natural place to put it would be instead of (or tacked onto) the thing that says “Charter Member”. Discourse supports a drop down list, where you get to pick your title. (Or it does on another message board I frequent.) So, if you are a charter member, you might have a dropdown that lets you select among
- charter member
- charter member (he)
- charter member (she)
- charter member (they)
- charter member (he/they)
- charter member (she/they)
- charter member (meh, pronouns)
I got a friend to set that up an a Discord server (not Discourse, but same idea) I was using for an event last weekend, and we ended up with a lot of pronoun options. But it actually worked pretty smoothly.
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### Author:  [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/396 "2020-12-09T01:31:45Z")
That sounds better. I didn’t know that was an option, and it’s much more elegant.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/397 "2020-12-09T01:33:17Z")
(Of course, we don’t really have an active admin right now…)
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### Author:  [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/398 "2020-12-09T01:45:42Z")
> [@Morgyn](#):
>
> Could an avatar have the information in it, or would the information be too small?
If you click on avatars now, you get an expansion box with more info. It’s possible, currently (and a good idea) to add location to that information. Maybe it’s also possible to add pronouns? — hmm. There’s a field for location (in your preferences, under profile.) There isn’t one for pronouns. I don’t know whether discourse will allow adding one, but, even if so, that might take an active admin.
I’ve already got a fairly long location. I wonder if I can add pronouns in there? – well, I did that; but they didn’t fit so aren’t readable from the avatar, basically all that’s visible is ‘pronouns’. I took them back out again. I think it would work if I shortened the location, though.
ETA: I left the location alone and just added “she/they”. That’s visible – just click on my avatar. I suppose it’ll make sense enough to anyone already at least partly up on the issue.
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### Author:  [@FigNorton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FigNorton)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/399 "2020-12-09T02:06:41Z")
Why exactly is that not possible to offend anyone? It’s a pretty fringe idea about all of society’s core communication. A lack of gender pronouns isn’t exactly a common language trait, so obviously your idea doesn’t develop particularly naturally.
In fact, I’ll just say, your personal campaign probably offends me more than “they” does to you.
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### Author:  [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/400 "2020-12-09T02:56:22Z")
Just put it in your “About Me” section near the top. Preferences-\>Profile-\>About Me
It will show up in between your name and your location, click on me for an example.
~Max
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### Author:  [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2020, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-existing-rules-prohibit-people-from-debating-the-gender-of-people-who-identify-as-transgender/927272/401 "2020-12-09T03:08:26Z")
> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> Just put it in your “About Me” section near the top. Preferences-\>Profile-\>About Me
Thank you~your clear instructions made it possible for this newbie to tailor my info.
I’m she/her: now everyone knows. Govern yourself according please.
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