I never feel bad for correcting them when they self-incorrect themselves. I tend to be more on the aggressive side when someone gets it right the first time but then goes “sorry sir”. One time I went off on a waitress for doing it, and she looked so scared and deeply regretted it, she looked like she was going to cry. After the meal when she brought the check she apologized profusely for misgendering me. So I think being a bitch about being misgendered is sometimes a good thing. When I’ve been nice people are pleasant but end up forgetting. But when I’m a bitch, they remember.

It’s like spritzing a cat’s face with water to get them to stop doing that thing they shouldn’t be doing. Unpleasant but necessary.