No. of Recommendations: 1
Or maybe the Amish neighbors are just too polite to tell you what they think about 'you just being you without having to think can you say this or do you avoid saying that'.... like you do on an anonymous message board.
No - I suspect it's more that LM is describing differences in cultural and linguistic references to pretty neutral items (like using some Dutch or colloquial terms to refer to common objects, while LM does not). And of course, those aren't value-laden differences, so no one is offended.
As I mentioned upthread, I'm sure that LM isn't using language that belittles the sincerity of the Amish faith, or questions the validity of their cultural or religious choices. She's not using terms that the Amish people she's speaking with would regard as derogatory or insulting to their people or culture.
That's why it's an inapt analogy. Trans people, like Amish people, don't care if you use different phrases to refer to ordinary objects ("water fountain" vs. "bubbler"). They do care if you deliberately use language that belittles the sincerity or validity of their identity as a trans person, just as an Amish person would care deeply if you deliberately used language that was derogatory towards the sincerity or validity of their faith and culture.
Albaby
