Repeating the questions... When a person identifies as a dog, or as a cat, will you pretend that that person is the animal and address the person as that animal? If a person identifies as a dragon, will you pretend that that person is a dragon? Do you think it's reasonable to expect the world to address them that way? Will you accuse people of prejudice if they don't? Where do you draw the line? Is it acceptable for a "white man" to identify as a "black woman"? If not, why would it be acceptable for a person to identify as another gender or even another species, but not another ethnicity?
The line can definitely be drawn before identifying as a non-human or as a fictional fantasy creature. I can definitely think of scenarios where a person who is biologically categorized as one race or ethnic group might fairly "identify" as a member of another race or ethnic group. A transethnic adoptee, for instance? Who am I to say their self-identification with their own family is unacceptable?
Nobody is killing themselves nor is there a history of suicide based on a person believing they are a dog but they aren't. This isn't a slippery slope situation. It is already not a problem. There is not a problem going forward. Senseless to worry about it now, when the bigger concern is being tolerant and respectful of people's wishes.
This reminds me of when people opposed to same sex marriage made arguments like this will lead to people wanting to marry their pets or their appliances.
This whole "identify as" is something people should be allowed to do, but others cannot be expected to ignore reality just because subjectively, someone wants to identify as something else. That's the whole crux of it - people can be tolerant of people identifying as whatever the hell they want (as in not mocking them), but they cannot expect others to go along with it if it's objectively not true.
First of all, thanks for trying to answer my questions. So far,, you're the only one.. Your first statement is not true. Example: Stalking Cat (a.k.a. Dennis Avner) committed suicide. I only gave two or three examples, but there are many more (and even more every day). Are you saying that you would communicate to them as dogs, cats, dragons, etc.? Or you would not? If not, are you not being "tolerant and respectful" of them?
Why do fascists use the same lines over and over. The same lines about interracial marriage, homosexual marriage, etc.
Why do you draw the line there? Wouldn't the many people who identify as animals or creatures say that youare being prejudiced against them, intolerant and disrespectful? Why would you accept a person who identifies as a different gender, but not a different species?
So, the mental illness that lead to the death and the identifying as an animal were from the same thing. One wasn't the cause of the other.
I think it would be hilarious and I would enjoy communicating to them as dragons. I wouldn't do it if it was someone trying to make a statement, but if they were sincere, then absolutely. But the odds of me encountering an example of that are almost non-existent.
