Minn. State Rep Suggests Using the Wrong Pronouns Is Harmful, an Actual Act of Violence

TRANSCRIPT:

REYER: "I want to note that some parts of the conversation have been — this is not about adults. We want to support adults to live their best life, lie who they are. And I want to remind us that harmful disregard of someone’s preferred chosen pronouns directly conflicts with the message that we want to affirm people and let adults and encourage adults to live their best lives. Further, I wanna say that gender-affirming care for all ages is a range of treatment. It’s a range of choices they make, from the clothes, from name to hair, and yes, pronouns. And when we misuse pronouns and when we intentionally or deliberately misuse them or choose not to be careful, we’re sending messages to our kids also that we don’t care how they’re seeing the world and we are willing to do them harm. And the very act of doing that is an act of disrespect and violence against people, regardless of who they are. I personally think that when we misgender people — and yes, I do it sometimes, it’s a habit, I apologize and I work to do better — and I would call on all of my colleagues to apologize when they misgender and resolve to do better."