(no subject)

[alexseanchai]

The fact that the giver gives to the receiver implies that the receiver is valuable to h/er because s/he does not let the need go unmet, neglect h/er, or give the good to someone else instead.

"They" and "them" are legit singular pronouns and hella more inclusive and less awkward, people! *grumble*

Comments

[niqaeli]

...no fucking kidding. That is like an absolute textbook case of where they/them would be a million times less awkward and more natural english while retaining inclusivity.

[milkymoon]

People’s hostility towards the singular they is really effing odd, especially as there’s no real justification for it.

[redbird]

That has a strong subtext of "if they won't let me use 'he' the way I want, I will make it as awkward as possible": not only would "they" be simpler, so would "him or her" or "she/he." (I can sympathize with people who are uncomfortable with singular "they," though I disagree—it can be hard to overcome early and repeated "that's wrong." But this isn't awkwardness, it's a tantrum.)

[alexseanchai]

Hm. I'm not sure I agree with that, because the title of this book is Women and the Gift Economy. They could just use "she" and "her", if they wanted a gender-specific pronoun that bad, and it would still be less awkward than this!

[silveradept]

Quite. I daresay such things are built for this very purpose. It seems better, if one must have gendered pronouns, too alternate them instead of using this construction.