Quote Originally Posted by Penthea View Post
But they are. Even outside of LGBTQ+ circles people do purposefully use incorrect pronouns to hurt someone. I'm cis and straight, and grew up around people who are cis and straight, and when I was a child some of those people sometimes referred to me as "he" just because I liked doing some stuff that was traditionally for boys. I wasn't even a tomboy, I still liked many girly things. But I also liked toys and cartoons that were aimed at boys. Some people thought I shouldn't be engaging in both and would refer to me as "he" with the intention of shaming me.

I knew nothing about LGBTQ+ at that age, there was no social movement regarding pronouns at the time...and it still hurt me when I was referred to as if I was a boy when I knew myself to be a girl. Intentional incorrect use of pronouns was a tool used to bully me. Incorrect pronouns being directed at someone isn't something that can only begin when someone who is LGBTQ+ is involved. I have seen cis and straight adults do this to one another when a person deems someone to be acting inappropriately for their gender.

What I went through is not comparable to someone trans being referred to as the gender they don't identify with given I did not ever suffer from body or gender related dysphoria, but I still do understand that it's hurtful when people use pronouns that you don't feel match who you are because that has happened to me. It sucks to say the least.

I'm very fortunate that period of my life didn't last for very long. If only every trans and non-binary person could say the same.
I grew up the same. You know what stopped it? Me no longer caring. Suddenly it no longer hurt me and the people doing it stopped as I no longer gave them what they wanted. You decide if words hurt you or not.