One quick note before I pop into my v-chat, then dive into writing for the day.
I don't mind folks using whatever pronouns they do for me, in part because the multilingual dimension is tricky, and in part because of folks like this friend.
He uses my preferred pronouns. He also loves to bring up "gender critical" pundits credulously, in a you-gotta-admit-that-both-sides-be-crazy sort of way. The two can coexist, because it's easy to tolerate "quirks" without meaningfully changing worldview. /x
This isn't true for all genderqueer folk, so don't take my preference as an excuse to stop honouring others' stated pronouns, but I personally do not give a hoot if someone uses she/her for me, so long as they show care for me as a person, and care for other people suffering in our terribly cruel world, too.
Yes, hearing my pronouns makes me feel affirmed, but... not all the time. Not when used by people who defend people spreading hate. 🙃
For this reason, my site of activism is different. 👍
@MLClark I keep kicking around an idea (that, given the reactions to it that I've encountered, will probably continue to go nowhere). Since third-person singulars are the only pronouns we use that are gendered, why not ditch that entirely. Summarily choose one of the two sets of pronouns (coin toss, to be even-handed), and have everyone use that choice going forward. It's simple and universal (in English anyway) - if perhaps DOA.😉
Just like in Spanish, where all possessive pronouns are neutral, and you don't even need to use a subject ahead of a verb most of the time. :)
This is part of the reason I don't prioritize this site of activism for myself, as a global humanist - because it can easily become Anglo-centric. A lot of Anglo-Westerners have been pushing for other languages to change without considering that other languages have their own workarounds. We can learn a lot from the rest of the world!