How should we address people who identify as transgender?

[on_the_hill]

If you want to be very PC, just ask them how they want to be addressed (e.g. he, she , it , that thing). I would “assume” that they would want to be addressed in a manner consistent with their appearance. If it is in a dress and high heals it probably wants to be called “she”.

I understand that you’re just giving off-the-wall examples, but if someone talked like this in my agency (it, that thing) I wouldn’t assign sensitivity training or anything PC like that. I’d fire him on the spot.

As for the OP, I always follow an ironclad rule: I call people by whatever name they wish to be called. Simple. There are far more important things to worry about.

 

[Ph0enix]

You can use ‘it’ when referring to me. I identify as an AH64 attack helicopter-- so it’s all good.

I see that joke has spread even to here now lol

but in all seriousness I use whatever they identify as

 

[JimG]

Use the wrong pronoun, and New York City will fine you $250,000 if you’re an employer. Look it up. Just amazing.

I suppose that biological sex is no defense here. Jenner, for example, is and will always be male. But we live in an age of unreality in which we must accept every individual’s personal unreality.

 

[Usagi]

I suppose that biological sex is no defense here. Jenner, for example, is and will always be male. But we live in an age of unreality in which we must accept every individual’s personal unreality.

Ms. Jenner would tell you that she is and always has been female, despite having physical characteristics and presumably genetics more commonly associated with men. The question raised by the existence of transgender people is whether biology is a more important deciding factor than the person’s internal conviction. (Remember, these people aren’t just “choosing” a gender at whim – everything inside them, presumably with some basis in biological brain structure or chemistry,.has told them that they are not the gender they were assigned at birth.)

 

[JimG]

Ms. Jenner would tell you that she is and always has been female, despite having physical characteristics and presumably genetics more commonly associated with men. The question raised by the existence of transgender people is whether biology is a more important deciding factor than the person’s internal conviction. (Remember, these people aren’t just “choosing” a gender at whim – everything inside them, presumably with some basis in biological brain structure or chemistry,.has told them that they are not the gender they were assigned at birth.)

“More commonly associated with men”? I presume that when he was delivered as a baby the doctor had not trouble announcing, “It’s a boy.” I also presume that he is genetically male, and unless he is capable of changing the DNA of every cell in his body that will not change.

I’m happy to call him by whatever name he wishes. But if a friend of mine were convinced that he is and always has been the Prince of a small but wealthy island, much as I would like to make him happy, I would hesitate to unduly feed his delusion.

 

[Vic_Taltrees_UK]

TG - If you were a teacher and “they” were a student, those are roles. It’s not personal exactly. Likewise employer-employee. Friendships are completely different. For myself, I find the creating of innuendoes distasteful. One can always point and say “this one”. A lot will depend how close a friend anyway.

TS - It is incumbent on the person concerned not to create ambiguities. One is what one is at any time. There is no “was”. If one is on the job “one” must leave and reapply so as not to traumatise colleagues.

 

[styrgwillidar]

I see that joke has spread even to here now lol

but in all seriousness I use whatever they identify as

Yeah, my son put that joke on some of his college applications. They all asked what he identified as and how he wanted to be addressed. Will be interesting to see if those colleges accept him (he’s received an early acceptance letter from his first choice school, but he didn’t identify as an attack helicopter on that one…)

 

[Kay_Cee]

**I ask this as someone who in the field of education could one day face this situation of having a student in my classroom that “identifies” as the opposite sex, how should I treat such students? **

That’s a good question.

When my daughter was student teaching, she came home one day so hysterical she was having trouble telling me what the problem was. Turned out one of her fellow classmates had a student who left for Spring Break a boy and came back a girl.

A first grade student, mind you.

This is the reason my daughter opted to take a much lower salary in a Catholic school, just so she won’t (I hope) have to deal with situations like that.

 

[PRmerger]

Call some one “it” is very dehumanizing and unnecessary.

I have never understood why people think it is wrong. By not doing it you make someone else’s life more difficult and painful, but it takes nothing away from you to be respectful of how they identify.

Just curious: would you talk to this man, who identifies as a female AND a 6 yr old girl, as if he were a little child?

 

[hu324b]

Just curious: would you talk to this man, who identifies as a female AND a 6 yr old girl, as if he were a little child?

http://www.bizpacreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Stefoknee-2.jpg

This is called mental illness and perversion - not the same. Bad example.

 

[PRmerger]

This is called mental illness and perversion - not the same.

You are aware, yes, that just a few decades ago that transgender and homosexuality were also considered “mental illness and perversion”.

So, yes it’s the same.

 

[hu324b]

You are aware, yes, that just a few decades ago that transgender and homosexuality were also considered “mental illness and perversion”.

So, yes it’s the same.

I am only speaking for this particular case

 

[PRmerger]

I am only speaking for this particular case

So, in general, for a man who identifies as a female and a 6 yr old girl–would you talk to the man as if he were a 6 yr old girl?

 

[hu324b]

I did not answer that question - no I would avoid this person.Its just too creepy.

 

[PRmerger]

I did not answer that question - no I would avoid this person.

How is it different than a person who identifies as a woman who’s actually a man?

Would you avoid this person, too?

 

[PRmerger]

I am only speaking for this particular case

Also, I am curious what your thoughts are regarding the transabled?

They are folks who identify as being disabled even though they are actually fully functioning adults.

Do you have a consistent paradigm in regard to these folks, as you do to transgendered folks?

This is Chloe Jennings White, who is fully “abled” but identifies as disabled:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/medeq/files/uploads/2015/06/Transabled-1-435x517.jpg

And this is Jewel Shuping, who had normal vision, but identified as blind, and underwent a procedure (not unlike Bruce Jenner), to make her be the way she felt she actually was:

https://bossip.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/blindwoman.jpg?w=570&h=353

 

[hu324b]

A man that age who thinks hes a 6 year old girl - hes mentally ill - other transgenders are not pretending to be 6 year old girls - they relate as a woman - this case is unique.

Of course i would speak to them and respectfully - but not this particular guy.

Stop trying to put words in my mouth - I speak only for this case.

 

[PRmerger]

A man that age who thinks hes a 6 year old girl - hes mentally ill - other transgenders are not pretending to be 6 year old girls - they relate as a woman - this case is unique.

Of course i would speak to them and respectfully - but not this particular guy.

So you see how you’re not being consistent here, right?

 

[hu324b]

So this man who thinks hes a 6 year old girl represents the Transgender community - and if I say hes mentally ill I am wrong - he is a perfectly sane person to think he is a 6 year old girl verses some one who has gender issues and relates as a woman. Is it the same thing?

I have met Transgender persons and none think they are 6 year old girls. They relate as women not 6 year old girls.

 

[PRmerger]

So this man who thinks hes a 6 year old girl represents the Transgender community - and if I say hes mentally ill I am wrong - he is a perfectly sane person to think he is a 6 year old girl verses some one who has gender issues and relates as a woman. Is it the same thing?

I have met Transgender persons and none think they are 6 year old girls. They relate as women not 6 year old girls.

hu, try to think in the abstract here, ok?

The concept is this: people should be treated the way they identify. If they identify as [fill in the blank], then then that’s how I will view them.

Do you agree with the above or not?