Treating everyone however you wish is entirely at your own discretion - and has nothing to do with any protected characteristic. There are plenty of people of all shapes, sizes and genders who are rude to me of their own accord and who don't show me basic common decency, I largely consider it to be a 'them' problem.

You're correct, putting my pronouns in my e-mail is not about me.... but I'd rather live in a world where pronouns aren't an issue.... in much the same way I'd rather live in a world where the N-word wasn't an issue. Unfortunately, it requires people not granting an undue amount of psychological power to things which should not be given the gravitas. I think much of the discourse around the trans-movement is very dangerous to young trans-people and they should be moving away from activism and embracing a lack of sensitivity.... as I believe Black people should be doing with the N-word. Steve QJ wrote a wonderful article about it a while back. Words only have the power you imbue them with - and creating an inclusive space that isn't about ME and my pronouns, simply creates a false bubble of acceptance that isn't reflected in society overall. It's the equivalent of over-parenting a small child. So yes. I am broadly supportive of people who have non-standard pronouns and I don't mind if they want to use them, but no.... I don't think a happy-clappy inclusive and welcoming space is useful for the psychological well-being of young trans people in the long run.

In the UK we have a lot of good unions and decent employment law, firing someone isn't as easy in the States and certainly not in bigger companies. It's a fun difference between us and you guys - and largely because of the Hartley-Taft thing and racism. Your working class racists got sold the lie that the Black man was going to steal everything, and waved goodbye to most of your legal protections. It's why we have a minimum wage (and a London living wage here where I live) and you have people who subsist on tips. Scary.

I disagree. I think our society has become less racist, less misogynistic and less homophobic over the last hundred years. I think there's a lot of evidence that's the case. Ask yourself whether you'd want to live now or back in the 1920s and you have your answer. There have been colourful bits, some great movers and shakers and the occasional riot here and there... but broadly speaking, consensus and dialogue - along with art and creativity has seen us gradually shift more liberal over time. The resurgence of the political right as a real force to be reckoned with has come off the back of the polarisation of the demos by social media - these thing perpetuate themselves. Things are getting worse because the left and the right have dropped the ability to interact properly. It's been a downhill spiral since 2008.