> But maybe I'm just missing something.

This issue fixed exactly one use case: "List a directory into stdout" (similar to the UNIX "ls" or Windows "dir" commands):
https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0540/#list-a-directory-into-stdout

Your use case is more "Display Unicode characters into stdout":
https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0540/#display-unicode-characters-into-stdout

This use case is not supported by the issue. It should be fixed by PEP 538 or PEP 540.

Please join the happy discussion on the python-ideas mailing list to discuss how to "force UTF-8": this issue is closed, you shouldn't add new comments (other people will not see your comments).