Sarah Paulson ignited an argument heard around LGBTQ+ Twitter after someone demanded the actor to list her pronouns in her bio.
“Put [your] pronouns in your bio, it’s not that hard,” the user said in a now-deleted tweet.
Paulson didn't appreciate the tweet.
\u201c@MILFSCM It\u2019s also not that hard for you to not tell what to do \ud83e\udd37\ud83c\udffc\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d— Sarah Paulson (@Sarah Paulson) 1617218669
“It’s also not that hard for you to not tell what to do,” she replied.
The discourse quickly whipped up into a tornado, especially since the exchange took place on Transgender Visibility Day. Some LGBTQ+ folks insisted Paulson's refusal to list her pronouns was transphobic, even suggesting the actress might be a terf.
"It was kinda rude of her to ask this way but putting ur pronouns in ur bio is actually really important to make this app a more inclusive and comfortable place for trans/non binary people," one user wrote. "It would mean a lot to many people if u did it."
\u201cif u get ratioed like this u know u fucked up\u201d— gia \ud83d\udc35 (@gia \ud83d\udc35) 1617222321
Others stepped in to defend Paulson, noting her history of refusing to label her sexuality, and that we don't know the actor's journey or how she identifies.
"Friendly reminder that sometimes it really ISNT so easy to put your pronouns in your bio," said one user. "This because not everyone is openly out yet and this can lead to unwanted/dangerous outing, and not everyone is CERTAIN of their pronouns yet, as it can be something so very personal."
\u201cSarah Paulson, who told JK Rowling to 'shut up' is currently receiving a flavour of the hate mail she recieved.\nWhy? No pronouns in bio.\u201d— Littlest HOMOsexual (@Littlest HOMOsexual) 1617227624
\u201cher reply, in no world, justifies the disgusting (not to mention misogynistic and lesbiphobic) comments being made to her by 14 yr olds on stan twitter. it isn\u2019t that deep, she\u2019s not the enemy, see the bigger picture i beg\u201d— \u212d\ud835\udd25\ud835\udd1e\ud835\udd2f\ud835\udd29\ud835\udd26\ud835\udd22 (@\u212d\ud835\udd25\ud835\udd1e\ud835\udd2f\ud835\udd29\ud835\udd26\ud835\udd22) 1617229610
It's certainly a dicey conversation with a wide variety of perspectives.
Many folks, cisgender and transgender alike, believe listing your pronouns is an important move that helps normalize asking how individuals would like to be addressed rather than assuming based on their appearance, which makes room for nonbinary and transgender identities.
Paulson has yet to comment on the controversy.
