4 ms·

> used to refer to a person of unspecified gender. How is this offensive to anyone??

unanswered 6y ago
For the same reason referring to anyone with the wrong pronouns is, I would assume. Isn't that offensive? I didn't realize this was up for debate in 2021.
- randomchars 6y ago
  But you're not referring to someone with the wrong pronoun, but using a gender neutral one.
  - unanswered 6y ago
    I'm sorry, I honestly don't understand what distinction you're trying to point out. If someone's preferred pronoun is "she", for example, and I refer to her as a "they", then that's the wrong pronoun, isn't it? That's literally the definition of "wrong", at least the definition I understand. The right pronoun is "she" and other pronouns such as "he" and "they" and "it" are, by exclusion, wrong. But it seems like you're saying there's some kind of complex relation where sometimes people don't get to choose their own pronouns, but other people get to choose which one out of many to use based on convenience. Maybe it would help my understand if you could provide a chart relating the pronouns someone chooses with the pronouns other people are then allowed to use?
    - randomchars 6y ago
      > Maybe it would help my understand if you could provide a chart relating the pronouns someone chooses with the pronouns other people are then allowed to use? I think this is everything wrong with the world currently. Provide you with a chart, so I can justify using gender neutral pronoun? https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/singular-they https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/singular-they This is barely more than a year old, is it already outdated? I am an asshole for daring to use “they”?
      - unanswered 6y ago
        > If a person uses “she” or “he,” do not use “they” instead. Likewise, if a person uses “they,” do not switch to “he” or “she.” Use the pronouns the person uses. This matches my own understanding; I have no idea why you are referring to this article as if it supports your bizarre crusade to misgender people.
        randomchars 6y ago
        You are aware that we are talking about the mars rover, right? The comment that you replied to: > You can just say "they". Was a reply to this: > S/he already did. We just don't know yet. Which was talking about the mars rover.

For the same reason referring to anyone with the wrong pronouns is, I would assume. Isn't that offensive? I didn't realize this was up for debate in 2021.

randomchars 6y ago
But you're not referring to someone with the wrong pronoun, but using a gender neutral one.
- unanswered 6y ago
  I'm sorry, I honestly don't understand what distinction you're trying to point out. If someone's preferred pronoun is "she", for example, and I refer to her as a "they", then that's the wrong pronoun, isn't it? That's literally the definition of "wrong", at least the definition I understand. The right pronoun is "she" and other pronouns such as "he" and "they" and "it" are, by exclusion, wrong. But it seems like you're saying there's some kind of complex relation where sometimes people don't get to choose their own pronouns, but other people get to choose which one out of many to use based on convenience. Maybe it would help my understand if you could provide a chart relating the pronouns someone chooses with the pronouns other people are then allowed to use?
  - randomchars 6y ago
    > Maybe it would help my understand if you could provide a chart relating the pronouns someone chooses with the pronouns other people are then allowed to use? I think this is everything wrong with the world currently. Provide you with a chart, so I can justify using gender neutral pronoun? https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/singular-they https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/singular-they This is barely more than a year old, is it already outdated? I am an asshole for daring to use “they”?
    - unanswered 6y ago
      > If a person uses “she” or “he,” do not use “they” instead. Likewise, if a person uses “they,” do not switch to “he” or “she.” Use the pronouns the person uses. This matches my own understanding; I have no idea why you are referring to this article as if it supports your bizarre crusade to misgender people.
      - randomchars 6y ago
        You are aware that we are talking about the mars rover, right? The comment that you replied to: > You can just say "they". Was a reply to this: > S/he already did. We just don't know yet. Which was talking about the mars rover.