"Even though Gessen, herself, also uses “they/them” pronouns, her immediate instinct was to read Butler as a “she,” as does the rest of the world" Absolutely. And even if they believed it, which they don't, it's an impossible standard. I've noticed a lot of the fully indoctrinated resort to referring to everybody as "they" to avoid mista…
"Even though Gessen, herself, also uses “they/them” pronouns, her immediate instinct was to read Butler as a “she,” as does the rest of the world"
Absolutely. And even if they believed it, which they don't, it's an impossible standard. I've noticed a lot of the fully indoctrinated resort to referring to everybody as "they" to avoid mistakes like these which a) is still misgendering if you believe in the dogma, and b) shows that even for them, using pronouns to affirm, rather than to describe, is more hassle than it's worth.
"Even though Gessen, herself, also uses “they/them” pronouns, her immediate instinct was to read Butler as a “she,” as does the rest of the world"
Absolutely. And even if they believed it, which they don't, it's an impossible standard. I've noticed a lot of the fully indoctrinated resort to referring to everybody as "they" to avoid mistakes like these which a) is still misgendering if you believe in the dogma, and b) shows that even for them, using pronouns to affirm, rather than to describe, is more hassle than it's worth.
It's also confusing as hell