Canadian professor under fire for refusing to use genderless pronouns

[Solmyr]

Yeah, it really is not like you are going to be labeled a monster for failing to remember hundreds of pronouns. That argument exists only in the minds of people who oppose the use of preferred pronouns. Most people are, in fact, very understanding even if you don't get it right, as long as you are willing to respect them in turn and learn.

But, earlier, you argued that "Essentially, the only time this comes up is when you talk about that person to some third person. And in that case, you sure as hell can remember what pronoun they use."  The implication was that failure to do so could only be the result of disrespect.    Now, you argue that failure is understandable.  Are you changing your mind, or just using whatever argument seems convenient?

I don't see how my earlier argument is invalidated. If you just recently met someone and make a mistake with their pronoun, it's understandable. If you know someone well enough that you speak to/about them on a daily basis, learning their pronoun is something that can be expected.

[Ed Anger]

I will stick with my policy of hating everybody and not talking to people.

Live footage of Ed Anger:

[Hamilcar]

Yeah, it really is not like you are going to be labeled a monster for failing to remember hundreds of pronouns. That argument exists only in the minds of people who oppose the use of preferred pronouns. Most people are, in fact, very understanding even if you don't get it right, as long as you are willing to respect them in turn and learn.

This just isn't true. Failure to conform and accommodate is being punished severely.

Here's a student who was sent to "re-education" for calling himself "handsome" (the horror!): http://thetab.com/us/columbia/2016/10/01/i-was-reported-for-gender-misconduct-for-calling-myself-handsome-in-class-2611

I am somewhat skeptical of a hearsay piece published in a student tabloid. Regardless, this situation would be a fringe case, not a common problem.

There is more where that came from:
Duke Offers Men a 'Safe Space' to Contemplate Their 'Toxic Masculinity' http://heatst.com/culture-wars/duke-offers-men-a-safe-space-to-contemplate-their-toxic-masculinity/
UMich 'pronoun committee' announces change to class rosters http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=8193
UCL Provides Trigger Warnings for Archaeology Students Who Are Afraid of Bones http://reason.com/blog/2016/09/28/ucl-provides-trigger-warnings-for-archae

[HVC]

That last one can't be real, can it?

[Hamilcar]

That last one can't be real, can it?

You underestimate the power of the dark side, young jedi.

[Oexmelin]

There is more where that came from:

Why are you wasting so much time on websites that have "culture wars" rubrics, looking for reasons to be offended? 

[CountDeMoney]

Duke Offers Men a 'Safe Space' to Contemplate Their 'Toxic Masculinity' http://heatst.com/culture-wars/duke-offers-men-a-safe-space-to-contemplate-their-toxic-masculinity/

The Duke Men's Project, launched this month and hosted by the campus Women's Center, offers a nine-week program for "male-identified" students that discusses male privilege, patriarchy, "the language of dominance," rape culture, pornography, machismo and other topics.

...

Junior Dipro Bhowmik, who sits on the leadership team, recently said the goal of the Duke Men's Project is for male students to "critique and analyze their own masculinity and toxic masculinities to create healthier ones."

Alex Bressler, another junior on the leadership team, said the program would help men "proactively deconstruct our masculinity."

Duke's new program is patterned off of a similar one at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where participants are asked to contemplate how masculinity plays a harmful influence in lives.

There the program seeks "to shift the culture of masculinity toward more non-violent norms"—the underlying assumption being that violence is currently the norm for men.

I would sooooo be the first to sign up for that one.  I would be in the front row. 

[Syt]

That last one can't be real, can it?

The warning was for a course on archaeology of modern conflict (i.e. 20th/21st century), and the warning mentioned that "events covered in the archaeologies of modern conflict course might be disturbing, even traumatising," according to The Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/walk-out-if-you-get-upset-archaeology-students-told-8zz6bc7t8

The Mail adds:

Lecturer Gabriel Moshenska, who co-ordinates the UCL course on how archaeology can help unearth the truth about 20th and 21st century conflicts, said some students had been in the Armed Forces and may have suffered psychological trauma.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3805872/Warning-archaeology-pupils-bones-scary-sparks-fresh-fears-cosseted-generation-students.html

That said, if you signed up for this course, you should have a broad idea of what to expect.

[Hamilcar]

That said, if you signed up for this course, you should have a broad idea of what to expect.

I disagree. If you are an *adult* you should be expected to deal with the trauma of 20th century conflict.

[CountDeMoney]

A buddy of mine did war crimes forensics work in the former Yugokilleverbodylikeits1945slavia years ago; said the condition of relatively recent mass graves are more fucked up than you'd think.  They're not cartoon skeletons.

I can see how somebody who's seen some hardcore shit in a war zone could conceivably be put off their lunch. 

[CountDeMoney]

That said, if you signed up for this course, you should have a broad idea of what to expect.

I disagree. If you are an *adult* you should be expected to deal with the trauma of 20th century conflict.

That's because you're a sociopath with hangups about organized religion and disaster insurance, but we knew that. 

[Hamilcar]

That said, if you signed up for this course, you should have a broad idea of what to expect.

I disagree. If you are an *adult* you should be expected to deal with the trauma of 20th century conflict.

That's because you're a sociopath with hangups about organized religion and disaster insurance, but we knew that.

Vote Tornado 2016.

[Razgovory]

There is more where that came from:

Why are you wasting so much time on websites that have "culture wars" rubrics, looking for reasons to be offended?

"looking for reasons to be offended" seems like a good description of people demanding the use of genderless pronouns.

[Syt]

A buddy of mine did war crimes forensics work in the former Yugokilleverbodylikeits1945slavia years ago; said the condition of relatively recent mass graves are more fucked up than you'd think.  They're not cartoon skeletons.

I can see how somebody who's seen some hardcore shit in a war zone could conceivably be put off their lunch.

Dunno about that. But when I was in military hospital in '96 with a busted knee cap I met a guy I had gone to school with. He was there for psychotherapy. He got drafted into the medics, and apparently he didn't respond well to the photos and videos of the effects of modern battlefield weapons on the human body.

[CountDeMoney]

Dunno about that. But when I was in military hospital in '96 with a busted knee cap I met a guy I had gone to school with. He was there for psychotherapy. He got drafted into the medics, and apparently he didn't respond well to the photos and videos of the effects of modern battlefield weapons on the human body.

Some people can hack it, some people can't.
It is, however, unfortunate that one's own basic humanity and sense of decency is held against them when they can't, particularly by those who never walked an inch in those moccasins.  So easy to judge from the sidelines.