“They said they’ve learned to avoid these kinds of confrontations by using softer, less direct communication, and ‘chat’ is a perfect example of that. It keeps things casual and nonthreatening, which can help ease the social pressures they face.”
Woah! I hadn't considered this idea before, but it really makes a lot of sense! I know that I even get choked up sometimes in group interactions: addressing someone by their first name feels so personally, and can really be nerve wracking. You add on this 'confrontation culture", and it really makes a lot of sense why people have chosen to refer to others in these second-person-pov kind of ways.