Editor’s Note: As part of our Conversation Starter feature, we present what we hope is the first part of an ongoing discussion about the evolution of the English language, especially the use of gender-neutral pronouns.
Want to join the conversation? Email your thoughts to editor@stc-techedit.org, or write them in the Comments section at the end of this article. We’ll publish them in future issues.
Professor Jo Mackiewicz and Allison Durazzi of Iowa State University are studying how editors make editorial decisions about issues related to gender, and have put together a short survey about the use of the singular pronoun “they.” The findings of this study can help editors better understand how other editors make editorial decisions related to gender and pronouns.
This survey is a much shorter and easier-to-use version than one they distributed previously, and they think (or, at least, hope) that it will be thought provoking. It should take approximately 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the detail you provide in your responses.
To participate in this study, go to: https://iastate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2gdfd9eFWxBayb4
If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Mackiewicz (jomack@iastate.edu).
I think it’s overdue to be recognized as grammatical. It’s been used as a singular pronoun from Shakespeare’s time. I love the freedom it affords writers, in that you can concentrate on making your point, not digressing into gender.