Why?

(Try to find out what feelings and needs are alive in the other person: empathic resonance)

Do you feel uncomfortable/ annoyed when you hear someone say that there must be a third sex beside men and women?
Does it give you more clarity/a better grip when there is only the distinction between men and women?
I guess what you’re saying is that you are annoyed when you hear someone say that there must be a third sex beside men and women? Do you like to have a clear distinction between men and women?

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What if?

(‘Mirror questions’: how would it be if you were standing in the shoes of that person)

Do you know a person who cannot fully identify with the sex assigned to him/her at birth?
Can you imagine that he/she is in a difficult emotional situation?
Can you imagine how great a challenge is to change your gender in a medical and social way?

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Self-reflection

(Questions you can ask yourself in silence to support yourself in understanding the other person)

How important is clarity/order for me?
When do I have the need for clarity/order?
How do I feel when this need is not fulfilled?

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Empowerment

(More information on the issue and tips how to explore the problem and continue the discussion)

In all European societies, there was a clear understanding of how “normal” women or men have to behave and the social norm is/was heterosexuality. All other types of sexual orientation were forbidden or at least socially outlawed. Many gays, lesbian or transgender people have lived their sexual orientation in illegality.
Times have been changing and today we know even with the help of scientific research that homosexuality is a variation of sexual life and also transgender people have a right of respect.
More information about transgenders: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender
in Europe: https://tgeu.org/