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Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on having no noise and being straight to the point to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis in the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however are new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic, and I think it is a more important issue to addressnat this moment.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

I don't see how refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun causes them harm. I find that to be a gross exaggeration and makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?

Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on having no noise and being straight to the point to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis in the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however are new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic, and I think it's a more important issue to address at this moment.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

I don't see how refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun causes them harm. I find that to be a gross exaggeration and it makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?

Three days later, I decided to revisit my answer and soften my language since stating absolutes isn't productive. I believe what I believe, although I understand that others may have varying views due to experience.

Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on "no noise, straight to the point" to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're laying down and dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis of the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however are new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

No, refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun does not cause them harm. That's a gross exaggeration and makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?

Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on having no noise and being straight to the point to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis in the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however are new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic, and I think it is a more important issue to addressnat this moment.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

I don't see how refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun causes them harm. I find that to be a gross exaggeration and makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?

Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on "no noise, straight to the point" to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're laying down and dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis of the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however is new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

No, refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun does not cause them harm. That's a gross exaggeration and makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?

Honestly, I downvoted the announcement and had a negative reaction to it because I couldn't (and still can't) see how it's remotely relevant to the vast majority of the network. It doesn't make any sense for a site that prides itself on "no noise, straight to the point" to begin worrying about individual user's personal problems.

Why is gender identity, of all the possible problems, the hill we're laying down and dying on? I don't see why instead of just rewording or adding selective emphasis of the current CoC, gender issues are being singled out and made into this huge important thing. In the 5 1/2 years that I've been on the network nearly daily, I have first hand experience of one instance of issues with gender pronouns. I referred to the OP of a question as "he", and they replied with "did you just assume my gender?". That's it. To support the CoC change, is there any hard evidence that this is the most pressing issue we currently face?

What I do see frequently however are new users being insulted due to differences in their expectations and the rules of the network. That's a broad issue that affects a large demographic.

I also wasn't a fan of the assertion

Using someone’s pronouns is a way of showing respect for them and refusing to do so causes harm.

Emphasis mine.

No, refusing to use someone's preferred pronoun does not cause them harm. That's a gross exaggeration and makes it seem like you're reaching to try and justify the new CoC. It may cause them slight mental discomfort until they move on and inevitably forget about the interaction, but should we really be shaping our core policies around not causing niche groups any short-lived discomfort?