Threads like this make me realize how lucky I have been. I’ve gamed with hundreds of people all over the world over the past almost four decades. There have been disagreements, and the odd rules lawyer here and there, but not once did I ever have a player demand to change a rule, and if I didn’t, I was a tyrant or railroading them. Not once. And not to toot my own horn, but the overwhelming feedback I’ve gotten as a DM has been largely positive (after every session with new players, like at an AL game, I always ask for feedback).
If a player came to my table and said they could wear plate mail as a Druid, and gave me the reasons why that were given in this thread, I would say that it’s not allowed because it is in fact a rule, and if they wanted plate mail, there are other ways to achieve that. The second they called me a tyrant or accused me of railroading, id thank them because they let me know I dodged a bullet, then send them on their way.
And people wonder why DMs are in high demand and hard to find. It’s because most of us don’t want to deal with troublesome players who disrupt the table. The game is for everyone*, but the DM does a lot more work. It’s why they get to make the rulings. I have never forced anyone to play at my table. I guess I’m lucky because I’ve always had more than enough willing players to play in my games.
*IME, when a player says they should be able to do whatever they want because “the game is for me too”, what they usually mean is “the game is for me, cater to me, and I don’t care what any other player wants”