>>3289
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RMS is NOT transphobic
I’ve been good friends with Richard for many years. I did have a falling out with him (publicly so) a few years ago, but we made up. He has always respected me.
When my project, Libreboot, was in the process of joining GNU, I wasn’t out as trans. I came out as trans not long before Libreboot became GNU Libreboot. RMS switched to she/her with me on the spot. No problems.
Some people have linked to the following article and suggested that he is transphobic:
https://stallman.org/articles/genderless-pronouns.html
Specifically, people believe that RMS refuses to use correct pronouns with people. People believe that RMS is transphobic for saying per/perse instead of accepting they/them.
Let me tell you something:
Richard sent me and several other people a copy of that article when he was drafting it. I repeatedly urged RMS not to do per/perse when he suggested it. I strongly suggested that he use they/them when referring to someone generically. When he decided to use per/perse, I was annoyed but not offended; you see, I regard it as idiotic. Clearly, they/them is commonly understood and will cause the least amount of misunderstanding.
Being foolish is not the same thing as being transphobic. If you actually tell Richard your preferred pronouns, he’ll use them with you without hesitation.
Several of my friends are trans and also speak to Richard, mostly via email. He respects their pronouns also.
Funnily enough, the GNU project has these guidelines about pronouns:
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.en.html - see:
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.en.html#f1
Not transphobic. At all. Same per/pers bullshit. Not transphobic, just stupid. I wasn’t misgendered by other GNU developers when my project, Libreboot, was in GNU. Calling RMS a transphobe is an insult to people who suffer from real transphobia."
He would have been better off being anti-trans and telling people to go fuck themselves.