3 ms·
'They' isn't a viable substitute just when gender is irrelevant. There isn't really a label for what I identify as, but it is not 'she' or 'he,' it's somewhere
by warfangle 11y ago
'They' isn't a viable substitute just when gender is irrelevant.
There isn't really a label for what I identify as, but it is not 'she' or 'he,' it's somewhere in-between and neither at the same time. So even 'he or she' wouldn't apply to me: I'm not one or the other.
I _prefer_ xe/etc; but I'm absolutely 100% fine with they/them. Just don't call me he (because I'm not) or she (because I'm not). ;)
Does that make sense?
> It's a natural construct and universal to many languages.
I think this ignores too much how language imposes itself on a culture - and a culture on a language. The gender neutral pronoun is a natural construct and universal to many languages, too. We just don't have an "official" one in English.
- mkrfox 11y agoI saw a comic strip once where someone was talking to a nonbinary person. Somewhere in it, the (presumably) cisgendered person said "but then I won't know your gender!" And the nonbinary person replied "that's okay, because I don't know it either." (I probably mis-remembered parts, and I'm not telling it anywhere near as well)