Virginia school board takes transgender bathroom case to Supreme Court

[GMDino]

(08-27-2016, 09:37 AM)xxlt Wrote: Maybe off topic, but I walked into a business the other day and needed assistance. I walked up to a desk and said, "Sir, I need some help." I was not corrected but got a really funny look from the other person. Hair style, facial features, clothing style, everything about this person looked like a man to me. But, I noticed the weird look I got when I said, "Sir."  I thought, oh wow, maybe this is a woman and I hurt her feelings? When the individual later stood up and escorted me to another area I noticed what appeared to be breasts that were not visible when he/she was seated at the desk and thought, maybe indeed I had chosen the wrong form of address and that explained the weird look I got. Judging by gait though, I still would have thought this a man. I really didn't care if I was wrong or right in my address to him/her, but I was afraid I had hurt his/her feelings from the strange look I got. I didn't want to make it any more awkward or apologize or correct myself because I still wasn't sure if it was a man or a woman and I felt bad enough about whatever prompted the strange look I got initially. Maybe it was an individual transitioning? I've always been a "Ma'am and sir" person - some people don't like it and think it too formal, but I think it is polite. But I may need to try to get out of the habit of saying ma'am and sir just so I don't have awkward moments like this.

SNL had a recurring character in skits called, 'It's Pat" years ago, and that was the joke - that nobody could ever figure out if Pat was male or female no matter what tricks they tried. And the real object of the humor was not ambiguous Pat but the discomfort of everyone else with the ambiguity. I wonder if those bits aired today if most people would still find them funny/fair game or if SNL would get a bunch of flak.

I'm a "sir" and "ma'am" person also, even to people younger than me (especially on the phone).  But (and not out PC because I've done this my whole life) I always start a request for help like your did with "Excuse me".  Which is weird because as I say I usually say sir or ma'am in evry other circumstance where I don't know the person personally.

Now if I am tell the story to someone else...if the helper was male he will be "the kid" and if she was female she will the "the girl".  Verbal tic I've picked up over the years.  The lady helping could be 80 and I'll say "so the girl running the counter...".  I've been told my grandfather did the same though I don't remember it.