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1/11 We are trapped by our language and limited by our point of reference. The problem with noun-oriented languages is that labels are indefinite. "You are a man." Period. Forever. A verb-oriented language might say "You are manning." Right now. Maybe not later.

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Michelle Tandler

@michelletandler

Someone from a large FinTech company in the Bay Area told me he's been called into HR three times over the fact he hasn't added his gender pronouns to his slack profile. He was then passed over for a promotion and thinks it's related. I added my pronouns to LinkedIn.

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2/ I can be a runner and I can also be not running right now. Can I be a man and not be manning right now? Well, how do you define "being a man"? It varies across time and people. Do I prove my identity by drinking beer and fixing cars or is it wearing powdered wigs & tights?

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3/ The hard thing about labels, be it political party, religion or gender is that when you accept a label, you allow yourself to be defined by other people. The word is fixed but the definition is fluid. What it means to be a man or woman today is not what it meant 500 years ago.

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4/ The other tricky thing is using one word to mean two different things. A "man" can be an adult male human being, and it can also be anyone who chooses to play the stereotypical role--to make the performance--common of an adult male human being, of some select time/society.

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5/ We play lots of roles. Sometimes we use costumes to inform or mislead observers. A soldier wears a uniform, a clown wears a red nose, a woman wears a dress. We assume "if he's wearing a soldier's uniform, he must be a soldier" but it's not necessarily true, nor of the woman.

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6/ People and norms are constantly evolving. The nouns have failed us. When someone says "I feel like a man", what is meant is that one identifies with their interpretation of somebody else's stereotypical expectations of an adult male human being. Why is the label so important?

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7/ I have not heard anyone in modern times say "I feel like a woman of ancient times, ready to plow the field by day and endlessly bear children by night, to be one of many, the property of a man, at risk of being stoned for speaking." Why do men only now want to play women?

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8/ Do I feel like a man? I don't even know what that means, nor is it an interesting question. Do I care what pronouns you use for me? Couldn't care less because my identity, who I see myself as, has nothing to do with my sex organs or your expectations. My identity is intrinsic.

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9/ People who are overly concerned with gender, political, religious, national labels seek to put you in a box. Rather than understand you as a person, they'd prefer you tell them what box you go in so they can make assumptions about what they don't know. It's lazy and insulting.

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10/ When I think about whether people should post their pronouns, I always think back to these psych studies where the participants are primed at the top of the test by filling out their gender or ethnicity, and then end up performing to their view of societal expectations.

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11/11 So, I think there's a non-0 cost of unnecessarily putting yourself in a box for somebody else's benefit. I will take my best guess and if you care that much, you can correct me. I will not ask you for your pronouns and I don't think any company should mandate pronouns. /🧵

3:19 AM · Feb 19, 2022Twitter Web App

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Wow. New follower after that eye watering post you just put out regarding the government coming for your Bitcoin. This is an incredible thread. Thank you.

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E r i n M c G e a n

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Labels are so Web2.

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@throughnothing

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amazingly well laid out. thanks.

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The basic problem is this: You are a being,life,with infinite flexibility (nothing - no one thing),identifying with and being identified by a fixed thing - the physical universe basically,your body,words,symbols,objects etc. Your identity becomes fixed but it fundamentally isn't.

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Does your companies data entry point have sur names in the customer file?

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Ancap Bitcoin Descartes

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Fantastic thread ! Absolutely perfect ! 👍

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Tempted to say that 'you are the man' right now for this extremely thoughtful and intelligent post.

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I like it bc I don’t understand it there isn’t a box for ? I do want to think about it. I will think about it! Plus I am all consciousness and subconsciousness out! Meaning I can’t think about it any more! Time for new thought leading to a new addiction!

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This is the logical conclusion of those obsessed with pronouns/gender/race: they are the sexist/racist ones. This obsession with wanting to stereotype means they can only assume everyone else is as racist/sexist as they are. Extremely limiting & dangerous worldview

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