sarah jeong

@sarahjeong @mollyknefel In contrast to, say "electron" or "genome" which were invented by and are primarily used by technical communities.

@binarybits I don't think it makes a difference. We cede authority over words to people who spend most time examining the words' referents.

@binarybits & the point that's been abandoned, but is still important: obliterating the distinction = slap in the face of trans community

@binarybits It's not a rarified concern. It's a foundational distinction for the existence of many people.

@binarybits Heck, it's a foundational distinction for everyone's existence, but trans folk bear the burden of having to be aware of it.

@binarybits People who misuse sex/gender haven't thought critically about the words' referents, and don't have skin in the game, either.

@binarybits When language is tied up with self-identification, there's a strong presumption that the self-identifier is "correct."

@sarahjeong @mollyknefel It wasn't invented by gender theorists and people don't primarily use it for gender-theoretical discussions.

@binarybits @sarahjeong @mollyknefel gender theorists often conclude that most people using either word don't know what they even mean

@binarybits @sarahjeong @mollyknefel as in, laypeople talking about gender or sex have a conception of it/them informed by mythology

@binarybits so, while the sociological linguistics is not simple, actual gender theory (eg. post-structuralism) is a lot less boring, try it