MX
       
       2014-12-13
       
       The most recent column in Savage Love had a theme featuring letters on the
       subject of gender-neutrality and genderfluidity. You've probably come across
       the term "genderqueer" conceptually even if you're not aware of people within
       your own life to whom the title might be applied: people who might consider
       themselves to be of no gender, or of multiple genders, or of variable gender,
       of a non-binary gender, or trans (gender's a complex subject, yo!).
       
 (IMG) A purple circle.
       
       For about the last four or five years, I've been able to gradually managed to
       change my honorific title (where one is required) in many places from the
       traditional and assumed "Mr." to the gender-neutral "Mx." Initially, it was
       only possible to do this where the option was provided to enter a title of
       one's choosing - you know: where there's tickboxes and an "Other:" option -
       but increasingly, I've seen it presented as one of the default options,
       alongside Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., and the like. As a title, Mx. is gaining
       traction.
       
 (IMG) "Mx Dan Q" on HMRC.
       
       I'm not genderqueer, mind. I'm cisgender and male: a well-understood and
       popular gender that's even got a convenient and widely-used word for it:
       "man". My use of "Mx." in a variety of places is based not upon what I
       consider my gender to be but upon the fact that my gender shouldn't matter.
       HMRC, pictured above, is a great example: they only communicate with me by
       post and by email (so there's no identification advantage in implying a gender
       as which I'm likely to be presenting), and what gender I am damn well
       shouldn't have any impact on how much tax I pay or how I pay it anyway: it's
       redundant information! So why demand I provide a title at all?
       
 (IMG) Scottish Power's "Title" options. Showing: Mayoress, Monsignor, Mother, Owner/Occupier, Police Comissioner, Prince, Princess, Professor, Rabbi, Reverend, Reverend Father, Reverend Mother, Sergeant, Sheikh, Sir, Sister, Viscount, Viscountess, Wing Commander, Abbot...
       
       I don't object to being "Mr.", of course. Just the other day, while placing an
       order for some Christmas supplies, a butcher in Oxford's covered market
       referred to me as "Mr. Q". Which is absolutely fine, because that's the title
       (and gender) by which he'll identify me when I turn up the week after next to
       pick up some meat.
       
       I'd prefer not to use an honorific title at all: I fail to see what it adds to
       my name or my identity to put "Mr." in it! But where it's (a) for some-reason
       required (often because programmers have a blind spot for things like names
       and titles), and (b) my gender shouldn't matter, don't be surprised if I put
       "Mx." in your form.
       
       And if after all of that you don't offer me that option, know that I'm going
       to pick something stupid just to mess with your data. That's Wing Commander
       Dan Q's promise.
       
       LINKS
       
 (HTM) "Gender Solid" (10 December 2014), on Savage Love
 (HTM) Sexplanations video, "The Gender Map"
 (HTM) Wikipedia article about the gender-neutral honorific title "Mx."
 (HTM) Patrick McKenzie's excellent blog post, "Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names"