I don't believe it matters what you or I think about the seriousness (or lack thereof) of someone's chosen name and gender. If someone tells me the name they pr

I don't believe it matters what you or I think about the seriousness (or lack thereof) of someone's chosen name and gender. If someone tells me the name they prefer to go by, I'm going to call them that; I don't have to take it "seriously", of course, but I'm not going to call them Frank if they tell me they're the Lady Chablis. It's just a basic show of respect. No one can make you call Lil Miss Hot Mess by her chosen name, but, ethically, I don't think anyone can tell her not to go by that name, and I don't believe it is ethical to demand she "prove" that's the name she wants to go by, either. If she says it's the name she prefers...well, who would know better what she wants?