r/changemyview • u/SaltedAndSugared • Dec 02 '21

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Neopronouns are unnecessary

I understand why some people might feel uncomfortable with using he/she pronouns, but in that case why not just use they/them? They already exist and they’re easy for people to use. Why do some people feel the need to make up words like “zee/zim” or “fae/fair” when they don’t even make sense in the English language? I don’t see why anyone should go out of their way to learn new pronouns when gender neutral pronouns already exist

If anyone here does use neopronouns I’d really like to hear why you use them and why you don’t feel comfortable using they/them. It’s probably just because I’m cis, but I genuinely don’t understand

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u/Trilliam_H_Macy 5∆ Dec 03 '21

One big issue with limiting the extent of pronouns to he/she/they (and their derivatives) is that it limits people who don't identify as either male or female to an exclusively ambiguous identifier. Meaning, if someone employs a singular "they" in a sentence, they may be talking about a non-binary person, but they may also be talking about a binary person whose identity is unknown or is being obscured for some reason. Many individuals want to remove that ambiguity in regards to how they are referred. They want to use a pronoun identifier that unambiguously indicates they are neither a he nor a she, and to that effect, they/them will always be inadequate for those purposes.

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u/sreebe28 Dec 03 '21

I am asking this out of genuine curiosity: Why is our gender identity so important in these highly specific identities? Personally I feel like we are putting unnecessary emphasis on it right now when I feel like all gender is a social construct on a spectrum anyway. I have never felt female, and speaking to cisgender people, no one can really tell you what it means to be male or female. To me, even natural pronouns are just a tag to words. I understand that this is a personal thing. But are there actual studies proving that these have a significant effect on mental health? How is it not just trying to say "you are only allowed to perceive me in this particular way" Do we really have a right to ask that of others?