I'm happy that you felt comfortable speaking your mind. I can love and respect you without having us agree on every political, social and most importantly, horror debate. I love diversity and freedom of speech, so in my mind that means hearing out other people with different opinions and trying to learn about them and myself. Say what feels right, Jake. This here's 'Murrica.

Awwww, that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I have some opinions that make me sound like a terrible person, and I know they do. Sometimes I am guilty of looking at things without taking into account peoples feelings. Sometimes I look at things a little to analytically.

Knowing that political opinions cause divisions between people, why would you guys even want to engage in the process at all?

Because they love the childish drama

It's an interesting issue especially when you read a lot of academics discussing it. I've seen everything from mental health studies to the issue being defined as a first world problem to academics calling people out as transphobic if they wouldn't date somebody who has transitioned. I've seen both sides presented respectfully and both sides championed by the lowest of people. All in all, whatever pronoun you want me to use I'll do it out of respect... except xir... I'll just smile and wave in that case.