Just like when a couple friends of mine came out as trans and nonbinary, I told them, "I'll do what I can but I may fuck up sometimes. Just please understand that me fucking up comes from a place of forgetfulness and habit not hate."

At this point I don't even remember what their dead names were, which honestly is a perk. Can't fuck it up if I don't remember what it was.

[–] Eccitaze@yiffit.net 6 points 1 year ago

Honestly, that's the best way to live IMO. You don't necessarily have to understand something or adopt it for yourself, but it literally costs you nothing to show someone the basic respect of addressing them how they wish to be addressed.

My best man came out as trans a few years after our wedding. It took me a while to get her new name down pat, but every time I messed up I corrected myself immediately. The other day when she sent me a picture to show her progress on HRT I told her how happy I was at the progress my maid of honor had made and how much happier she looked. It's that simple: just call someone by their preferred name/pronouns.