A friend recently told me that my refusal to accept concepts like “nonbinary” and “transgender” is hurtful. Similarly hurtful is my refusal to use the wrong pronoun for men and women, such as using “they” to refer to a particular female athlete who identifies as “nonbinary” and has “chosen” they/them as her pronouns. The implication is that, even if I disagree with gender ideology, it is uncharitable not to use a person’s chosen gender identification and pronouns. What is the harm in using preferred pronouns and gender identity for people who are doing nothing other than expressing their lived experiences? The person who made this suggestion is a faithful and knowledgeable Catholic whom I greatly admire and whose devotion to Christ and his Church is beyond dispute.
But I cannot accede to the request. Nor should my friend or any other Catholic Christian.
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