Larry, And the rest of you,This post is not meant as an attack, and I apologize if it offends or upsets anybody. If this thread turns in to a flame war, I will not participate (or likely even read the posts). My reason for posting this is PURELY to present another side.
Before I start, I agree that mixing pronouns is awkward and not very much fun for the reader. I also agree that a good editor and proofreader system is essential for clear, well written text.
In my opinion, one of the great losses to society is the lack of good written communication skills. What was the last great written speech you heard (or read)? Have you ever saved a letter because it was written so clearly that it inspired you? It seems that sometime in the 60's, Americans (and most of the rest of the world from what I can tell) stopped writing letters with care. Now we just seem to dash out some dribble or a response and are doe with it. Some people blame computers, but I do not think it is that simple.
On with the show...There are several types of bias, unfortunately. Some of them are hard to spot or understand, but they exist. The 'gender bias promulgated by use of the HE pronoun' is one of them. I am not sure how to express this very well (I am much better in person) but it can be compared to the feelings of short people or left handed people in its effect and distribution.
If you know a person that is noticeably short, ask him (or her) if they like short people jokes, or grocery shopping. High heels shoes serve two very real purposes - from the male perspective, they shape the calves and butt nicely (women like to be noticed and appreciated for their appearance) AND they give women a few extra inches of height that evolution denied them. Almost every corporate or psychological study I have encountered concludes that having a height advantage makes a person appear more authoritarian or wise. Humans 'look up' to greater power. Short people are denied that respect on a regular basis without resorting to artifice.
The left handed bias problem is much easier to locate. Ask any left handed person how they feel about how the world is designed and you are likely to get an 'ugh' related response. From simple things like doors and scissors to more complicated things like cars and writing with a pen or pencil. We live in a right handed world, and there are constant reminders for lefties that the world is not theirs. I am right handed, by the way, but my fiancee and best friend are lefties. I have heard about their pain and suffering - it exists.
So, what is the point of worrying about such a simple, 'stupid' little problem? It is really only a concern if you care about giving people a fair shake. Imagine going through life being an outcast or constantly being reminded that there is something wrong with you or that you are inferior. It is a subtle thing, but it exists. Some people go overboard trying to compensate - hence some of the crazy, awkward and not very polite attempts to change the status quo. I think we have all met the 'militant types' in the workplace who are on a mission to make them selves look good or others look bad. From a psychological standpoint, that is often motivated by a low self esteem which can be a byproduct of subtle or overt bias. This is a visible disability, but an invisible problem. The lefties I know are all tired of living in the righty world, but recognize that change is hard and the status quo got that way by resisting change. People suffering from these subtle biases feel the way they do because these subtle biases exist. It is not merely their perception, but remember that perception can be valid.
By at least acknowledging that the English language is not quite perfect and that there is no truly convenient way of writing a gender neutral pronoun, the bias is alleviated. The use of 'he' will still rankle some, but until English is changed so that a neutral pronoun is found and accepted it behooves the writer to at least consider the potential audience.
Thanks for reading this, please keep any responses polite. Marty
Hey guys, I'm a writer, and I just wanted to toss in my two cents. There are few things as clear and obvious that point out a lousy editor or a bad writer than mixing genders in text, when referring to non-specific entities.The English language uses He, Him, and His as gender-neutralterms, and that's just the way it is. The people that complain that it is sexist only serve to show their own lack of education, and don't even have the sense to be embarrassed, and then there are those that "feel their pain" and try to acquiesce, and by doing so, are effectively doing the same thing in reverse, which actually becomes sexist and derogatory. It's ludicrous. The male word form is used for both specific individuals that are male, and for general, non-specific references. The feminine is only used for specific instances where a known female is the subject. If you want your book to look like it was self-published, mixing gender terms will do the trick, and you won't be taken seriously by many. I, and many others I know, will avoid purchasing a book when we spot this foolishness that creates bias where none existed (all in the name of eliminating it, ironically), because it shows a lack of professionalism, which weighs heavily on the impression of the likely contents, as well as the simple fact that it's incredibly annoying and detracts from the focus of the material. Never be afraid to stand firm in defense of the English language, especially when the illiterate attempt to mangle it further in the name of political correctness, while simultaneously trying to make you feel guilty for something you haven't done wrong. If you need proof or encouragement in this area, you merely have to remember that ebonics was actually taken seriously for a brief time in this country before everyone came to their senses. Best regards, Larry mailto:Kurgan@Fastmail.fm To Post a message, send it to: dq-rules@eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: dq-rules-unsubscribe@eGroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links
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