The problem with your argumentation is that nothing else is really possible. If the display name doesn't work for you and the handle is just a technical name nothing is usable for you so the only answer could be "ask".
I would use the handle so that the original author knows I like their content. Additionally or depending on the content I link to the original source where the author is visible. Maybe this is a third solution.
Leah (Cloudstylistin) /
npub1jv…vns8e
2024-03-26 16:12:00
in reply to nevent1q…7q8x
Author Public Key
npub1jv839jknmmkx5lmfvvfy6wsg8qt60nww75urwsdggm3rqkvxm4hqkvns8ePublished at
2024-03-26 16:12:00Event JSON
{
"id": "27c45472fcdc5fde969b8daf13727dc70afd23790e70bb783d0dadf2b79fac84",
"pubkey": "930f12cad3deec6a7f6963124d3a083817a7cdcef5383741a846e2305986dd6e",
"created_at": 1711469520,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [
[
"e",
"ae4396c2852f910d5ce3b01cfeb458f04d6e5621d645b17f3ab0fc293bdeb859",
"",
"root"
],
[
"e",
"d34205647ee008bc24c5e3cc1e1037148c2a92794e675eb240f56f51c1471171",
"",
"reply"
],
[
"p",
"930f12cad3deec6a7f6963124d3a083817a7cdcef5383741a846e2305986dd6e"
],
[
"p",
"a071462e960207a7a2272a3f59d042e59623bb2217b56f9365cba21e12213e3e"
],
[
"proxy",
"https://chaos.social/users/leah/statuses/112162866508142388",
"activitypub"
],
[
"L",
"pink.momostr"
],
[
"l",
"pink.momostr.activitypub:https://chaos.social/users/leah/statuses/112162866508142388",
"pink.momostr"
]
],
"content": "The problem with your argumentation is that nothing else is really possible. If the display name doesn't work for you and the handle is just a technical name nothing is usable for you so the only answer could be \"ask\".\n\nI would use the handle so that the original author knows I like their content. Additionally or depending on the content I link to the original source where the author is visible. Maybe this is a third solution.",
"sig": "b5d7e03b4abf9fc093bec43d3b1c78bb800f2de0b421c3b46855bccc3cfaf0c8da14b709e98a465681c112443b532c65dd786a5bfbbf06e60251c0f788bb5fa9"
}