THE WEIRD ARCHANGEL MEDIA.

Going back home in the metro in the evening has become quite interesting over the last couple of days.

I avoid listening in on people’s conversations but ever since I started understanding a bit of French, I have started making habit of casually pausing my music for the sole purpose of listening to people.

I have sat and stood across people who have had some very interesting conversations. An old lady in her 80’s going back and forth with her grandson about who is the better sniper in the Sniper Elite game, my money is on the grandma. She looks like a real hitter. Two drunk friends had a 10 minute argument about the best pizza, with one sticking to pepperoni pizza and the other going for Hawaiian pizza. I think the one who was siding with Hawaiian pizza was doing it to piss his friend off.

One of the conversation that intrigued and interested me was a conversation by these two young men who went back and forth about pronouns. Yes, you read that right. Pronouns. For about 15 minutes, all me and about 7 other people were listening to was she, they and monster trucks. The monster trucks fits in, believe me.

Now, believe me when I say that I in no way, shape or form condone misogyny, sexism or prejudices due to gender, but these two were making some very valid points.

I have no idea how the conversation started, they were already in the train when I got on. I have no idea what their names are but one had long hair, so Ill call him Rapunzel, like Rapunzel from the Tangled animation. I know she is a woman, but what are you gonna do about it? Nothing, that’s what you’ll do. I will call the other guy, who just so happened to be completely bald, Baldy, because, you know why!

“Well, you know that she is a they now, right?” Rapunzel asked his friend. “Dude, no way!” Baldy responded.

At this point, two sentences in, I could see two other people take their earbuds out of their ears and into their cases. I could also tell what they were thinking, because I was also thinking it, “This will either be great or really awful. Either way, it will make for great conversation later on.”

“Well, when I met her she was a she,” Baldy went on. “I haven’t told you the best part,” Rapunzel almost shouted, “she was a they when I met them. Wait, I forgot if she is now a she or a they again.”

After about what felt like an eternity, Rapunzel went on with his statement. “Well, when I met her, she was a they, then she changed it up to she, then she got into a relationship, then changed it back to they, and now I don’t know if they is a she or still a they.”

“Are they still together?” Baldy asked. “I don’t know, it’s not my business. But, all I can say is she is too nice for him. He treats they like shit.” Rapunzel responded.

Silence.

All of us, the eavesdroppers are now looking at each other trying to figure out what that was.

Who starts a conversation and then just stops. That is borderline manic behavior.

About 4 minutes later, Baldy looks at Rapunzel and blurts out,” I never knew you can just change them up like that.”

“What?!” Rapunzel asked seemingly confused by the statement. ” “Pronouns. I never knew you can just change them up, you know. Today I feel like a she. No, I feel like a they. Nuh, I feel like a donkey, so my pronouns are hee-haw.” Baldy said.

I don’t know why but this line made all of us burst into laughter.

” No, I feel a monster truck, so my pronouns are monster truck, or vroom-vroom,” Baldy went on after the laughter died. “Think about it, if I met them no and called them a she, then I would be in trouble for misgendering. How the hell am I supposed to know they changed it from she to they? And what about all the people that come across them, when they were she? If you met them when they were she and they are now them, and you call them she, then you are wrong. If you met them when they were they, and they are now she, then you are a criminal. Are all these people supposed to be cancelled and burned at the stake? Just listen to that statement I jut made, does it even make sense?”

“That was very thoughtful but all I’m thinking is if I was to decide that my pronouns are monster truck, would that offend people and would that in turn mean that I can cancel them, going full circle on the whole hating and judging cycle? How long would everyone have to play along until it becomes a bit insane? It is just too much sometimes” Rapunzel responded to his very distressed friend.

” This is our stop,” Baldy said as he shook his head in disapproval of what his friend had said.

As the train left the station, we were all left with our thoughts on the topic they were having. The truth is, sexuality and gender are very complex and interesting issues that do require input from both conservatives and liberals. But, at what point does everything stop being about discovering oneself and becomes close to being a mental problem? At what point will everyone agree on anything?

If I was to decide that my pronouns are now monster – truck, how long would people play along, and at what point would it be excessively indulging me?

Rapunzel was right. It is too much sometimes.