It didn't take reading that poll to understand where the divide is, R56. But, of course, we can't expose this divide here on DL lest our DL-is-the-problem troll (ignoring the fact that this little board has all of about 500 readers consisting of 98% gay men, 1% lesbians, and 1% of straights and others who find themselves here after googling some obscure Hollywood has-been and stay for the witty repartee) shouts us down.
Count me among those who have been very displeased with the way that LGB-and-everything-except-T issues have gone down the memory hole while the entire gay rights movement has become about trans and only the trans. I've stopped posting on and even reading some forums because of the way that they reflexively elevate trans issues over the panoply of issues that impact the entire LGB community, and it's not that I and those who share my opinions don't respect and want trans people to be included, it's that they have demanded and received forefront status to the disinclusion of all else.
I, and I believe most people, have no problem using the pronouns of your choice. On rare occasion when I err in this regard, forgive me if I initially use the incorrect pronouns; once corrected, I will happily refer to you accordingly.
I sympathize with the plight of trans people. I can think of nothing more difficult than living life in contrast with your core being. I support trans rights to be out, proud and accepted.
But just as there are limits on free expression in a multitude of ways both moral and legal, there are limits on what trans can ask and expect. For instance, it is not illegal to drive a right-hand drive automobile in the US or Canada; however, it is illegal to drive the right-hand vehicle on the left side of the street, not because we hate right-hand cars, or the custom in other countries is left-side driving, but because allowing the extreme minority of right-hand vehicles to drive on whatever side of the street they prefer is antithetical to a functioning traffic system for the vast majority.
I will not refer to a pregnant woman as a pregnant person. I will not alter the language that I use when its proper usage is accurate for 99.999% of all.
I will not accept a biological male convict to be incarcerated with 99.999% female convicts with the [italic]only[/italic] exception is if he has undergone complete gender reassignment and no longer possesses a penis and no longer has predominantly male traits.
And, of course, my most controversial opinion is regarding trans sport because it is inherently unfair for a biologically male athlete to compete against biologically female athletes. It is just science that men are physically bigger, stronger, and have physiological traits advantageous to men. Which is not to say that women have advantages in some areas that men do not, but when it comes to activities that are based on size, strength and inherently male traits, females are at a disadvantage.
[quote]My Y has a gender neutral locker room now.
And therein lies the great compromise. The Y I used 25 years ago had three changing rooms: men, women, and families with children (which had few facilities other than a few lockers and a couple shower stalls). It was an acceptable and appropriate situation for everyone who enjoyed this Y. Not that there wasn't lewd activity in the men's steam room; it was that Y management accepted the fact that not all situations are appropriate for children.
It would benefit everyone if we accepted the fact that gender norms differ and we need to go beyond a binary choice [italic]within reason.[/italic]
