It seems like its still safe to refer to someone of gender unknown as "they/them". It actually normalises the use of those pronouns which makes it simpler for people iddntifying as non-binary too.

> Are we even allowed to assume 'gal's 'use she/her pronouns' though?

Fortunately we don't have to, because what she wrote was "One gal's quest to optimise her life."

> Are we even allowed to assume 'gal's 'use she/her pronouns' though?

"Gal" is unambiguously female, so yes.

> For centuries we've happily referred to an unspecified person 'with they/them pronouns'

We still do. That hasn't changed.

I have met people who are queer and don't like being refered to with "they/them" because they view these words as totalizing. A lot of trans people have a lot of disliking for cis gay men and call their own poor practices"homonormativity". As a result, they balk at being included as "queer" or even at the existence of terms like "LGBT" as they don't feel solidarity with CIS gay or bisexual men. Many of these queers embrace and demand recognition of their unique pronouns. If they prefer xe/xem, you may get an earful for saying "they/them".