The curious paradox in how we address each other today

The article argues that respecting people's preferred pronouns sits in tension with a broader move toward informality in addressing people, and that the two should be considered together. It holds that using preferred pronouns is better, all else equal, because it is polite, and that pronouns attach to gender rather than sex, so the author does not share the view that preferences for gendered pronouns reflect delusion. It also contends that the convention of familiarity is not automatically more respectful, since preferences for formal address can reflect reasonable views about age and experience, and that anyone pushing for informality should respect others' differing preferences.