LogFAQs > #964734133

Muscles posted...

I get what you're saying but I feel like the problem isn't not being inclusive enough its the fact that they focus so much on the wording of laws instead of of the spirit of the law. For an example, say there was a law to give women free pads/tampons/whatever then it should also extend to intersex and transmen that need it without explicitly saying it because common sense will tell you that they fit what the law is about.

Common sense means little to nothing in the law, though. If the law says women get free feminine hygeine products, that means women - and only women - get them. Trans men do not, or if they do, it's because the law deliberately misgenders them (and changing that would mean they miss out). Subsequent discrimination lawsuits will likely be won (though given the current makeup of the Supreme Court and the transphobia that tends to accompany those political leanings, even that's hardly guaranteed) and the law will be amended to apply to anyone that menstruates, but why go through all that hassle when you could just word it correctly in the first place?

I understand where you're coming from. You don't necessarily disagree with the fundamental point, you just think that the normal way of doing things is good enough that there's no need to go through the awkwardness of trying to change it and explain yourself to people around you. That's pretty normal for people for whom the status quo isn't a problem, especially those who don't have many peers that take an interest in such social justice issues (which leads to that aforementioned need to explain any deviation from "normal" styles of speech). The fact of the matter, though, is that the status quo is a problem for some people, sometimes a very serious problem. Deviating from it can help them feel a lot more comfortable, even if it involves some discomfort on your part.

You're not wrong to feel uncomfortable, nor do I want to force you out of your comfort zone, but try to recognize that that's what's going on instead of trying to rationalize it as being anything other than you feeling uncomfortable deviating from the norm. That's okay.