Let’s break down all the good things about this off-the-cuff correction: First off, it’s immediate. Stause doesn’t let the mistake slide or table it to discuss with Nurk later. As Stause noted in an Instagram Story, not only does she consider it a basic matter of decency to correct people on your partner’s preferred modes of address, she is keenly aware of the fact that Selling Sunset season 7 is viewed by a massive audience.
Second, Stause is matter-of-fact. “They use they/them pronouns” is nice and direct. But my favourite detail here is that while Stause acknowledges that getting pronouns right is “a simple thing,” she doesn’t diminish the importance of getting it right. Sometimes, misgendering can be an honest mistake; other times, it does indeed speak to a lack of “depth” in a relationship or even a lack of basic respect for someone’s gender. If you know someone, care about them, and spend time with them, the chances of you accidentally slipping up on their pronouns tend to be much lower.
This moment included, Stause’s queer awakening has truly been a thing to behold, especially given the number of homophobic reality TV fans she has to deal with on a daily basis. (Can you imagine being into reality TV and hating gay people? Make it make sense…) Ever since announcing her relationship to G Flip in a season 5 reunion episode of Selling Sunset, Stause has been giving her followers impromptu primers on non-binary identity, sexuality, and gender. She appears to be having the time of her life in her relationship with G Flip, starring in one of their music videos, recreating a Troye Sivan video for Halloween, and, yes, going to the Eras Tour. But because some people can’t stand queer happiness, Stause has to deal with more than her fair share of haters.
In an Instagram Story on Tuesday, Stause wrote, “Do you guys actually think I want homophobic people to follow me? No need to announce your departure — but knock yourselves out I guess.”
From my humble vantage point, it looks like Chrishell Stause may be realising what many queer people learn after years of being out: spending time with too many straight people feels a lot more tiring than it used to. Honestly, over a decade after coming out myself, when I’m confronted with a Kinsey Zero, I feel a lot like Stause does when she talks to Nurk: “I’m not gonna be your friend. I don’t have anything in common with you… I feel like I’m losing brain cells on this conversation.”
This article originally appeared on Them.