I see a number of people express this opinion that surprises me; I'd love to know the demographics/background/media consumption of people who would/wouldn't agree with it.
It's impossible to guess what subset of appropriate speech in 2022 will still be appropriate years or decades from now.
If you want to build any kind of public profile or have much influence in life you kinda have to face this risk head-on to some extent.
(Also, it seems like holders of this opinion think there is non-zero risk but also zero upside. This is strange to me and seems like it must have to do with the specific views people are biting their tongues on.)
As a straight, white, fairly well-off, more or less neurotypical man, I'm sure I should be in all the privileged groups and so should feel pretty empowered. Maybe that's why I feel like I should be able to blog under my own name.
But I completely understand what OP is saying. I definitely have the fear, and I've toyed with the idea of having an anonymous persona before.