Alaric.us: They aren't really all that strange if you are familiar with their achievements. =) Even though you have obviously never met them.
micktiegs_8: I'm the type who gives reciprocal courtesy, respect.
Respect is more than achievement related. For plain instance - a decision is not an achievement. I respect some people for the decisions they make. As for those who have achievements as you say - I'll interact in deference depending on the 'achievement'.
If those decisions carry consequences then you can say that this person's achievement is facing responsibilities including unpleasant ones.
Alaric.us: Now, respect, is something else entirely. Respect is recognition of one's achievements.
dtgreene: Achievements aren't the only thing that can be respected. For example, one can respect one's identity, and it is in this case that language matters. There is a difference between using somebody's preferred pronouns just to be polite and actually accepting that that person actually is the gender associated with those pronouns.
In other words, there are different things that can be respected.
No, this isn't how it works. An identity can be acknowledged. It can be treated with courtesy. But it isn't something that commands respect. Respect is earned by doing something, not proclaiming yourself to be someone.
For instance, even though I'm not about to join your fan club, I still respect you for sticking to your guns despite the general reception you get. Perseverance is something I recognize and value in a person regardless of what my opinion of that person is otherwise.
That said, I will never grant, nor expect from others, respect for just ... being. And frankly it doesn't matter one bit if one sees oneself as a garden variety straight white male, or a trigendered biracial otherkin.