Pastot Bohler:
Obviously it IS "critically important" to know a person's gender or sexual orientation. Else one risks being destroyed personally, professionally, socially, and financially if using the wrong pronouns or somehow offending such a person.
Me:
I hope you’re speaking sarcastically.
You can’t really be afraid that you’re going to be damaged by what gay or lesbian or transgender people think of you.
And if you give anybody, repeat anybody, power over the pronouns that you use in “normal“ English, then that “anybody” has won.