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An Open Letter To People Who Write About What Is And Isn’t Okay To Say.
Allow me to begin by thanking you for the invaluable work that you’re doing. For years I’ve struggled with my utter social tone-deafness and an almost pathological inability to judge interpersonal interactions, so your insights have been life-changing.
In particular, I can’t thank you enough for your assurances that it’s fine to “Just Say Fat” instead of overweight or plus-sized or any of the countless other phrases I’ve heard fat people claim they prefer. Or for painstakingly enumerating the “5 Phrases Your Black Friends Wishes You Would Stop Using” which I — as a black man — will now know to ask my friends to stop using around me.
Imagine the pain I might have caused if you hadn’t patiently explained that referring to trans women as transwomen is problematic. I’ll be sure to leave at least a ten second pause between these words when speaking so as to avoid any suspicion that conjunction was implied. Now that I have direct access to someone able to speak for your entire community, I’m more than happy to take you at your word.
I just have one small favour to ask. Can I have your full name and home address? And perhaps your phone number? Just so that I can refer those fat or black or LGBTQIA+ people that haven’t gotten…
