Makani Tran, a young Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) player from Utah, was disqualified from the Pokemon TCG regional tournament in Charlotte last week after he allegedly made the judge presiding over his sixth round match uncomfortable about their pronouns. According to Tran, who posted about the disqualification in a Twitlonger, when the judge asked for his preferred pronouns before the match, he responded with his pronouns — he/him — but “let out a little nervous laugh” “[d]ue to the nerves and… being embarrassed.” From his account:

[A]fter that… the judge asks once more “what are your guys’s preferred pronouns.” Alex [Shchemanske, my opponent] says “He and him” and I then say “Uh yeah he and him haha”. The little laugh at the end was because I was trying not to be awkward and because I was just stating the exact thing Alex had just stated and it was kind of silly to me in that scenario. [Then] the judge looked at me and said “okay just wanted to check to be safe. I go by they/them so don’t be a jerk about it.” They smiled after this and gave no signs whatsoever of being upset or uncomfortable. When they said “don’t be a jerk about it” I thought they were just saying in general like in the future or something, I had no clue that I had upset them and I had no intention to do so whatsoever.

After the first match, a group of judges approached the match area and began speaking with Schemanske, telling Tran to keep his headphones on so he couldn’t overhear the conversation.