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In reply to the discussion: 'Françaises, Français': Why the French language need not be so sexist [View all]MineralMan
(150,569 posts)21. A lot of it is just using plural nouns, so you can use they and them.
"Think of your customers like family members. They will become more loyal over time."
Instead of:
"Think of every customer like a family member. He/She will become more loyal over time."
Pluralizing lets you avoid the masculine and feminine pronouns.
"Users, subjects, visitors, guests, anglers, drivers, pilots, etc."
That's just one of the easier tricks.
Use non-gendered labels exclusively. "Servers, staff members, clerical workers, etc."
Once you start doing that, it becomes second nature as you write, so you don't have to edit to remove gendered language.
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'Françaises, Français': Why the French language need not be so sexist [View all]
Klaralven
Feb 2021
OP
It's strange to see the somewhat new practice of using "they" and "them" as singular.
JustABozoOnThisBus
Feb 2021
#19
To be pedantic (in keeping with many of the replies to this OP!), singular they/them is not new.
Emrys
Feb 2021
#26
I bow to your pedanticism. Who'd'a thought to look to the 14th century?
JustABozoOnThisBus
Feb 2021
#31
It does, but in modern English, gender isn't embedded in the grammar as it is in French.
Emrys
Feb 2021
#12
Funny, I did not realize this until the last year or so, with debates over Brexit legislation.
tritsofme
Feb 2021
#41
Acting might be the one profession where having masculine and feminine nouns actually makes sense.
Midwestern Democrat
Feb 2021
#42
English is promiscuous. It accepts new words and grammars without much friction...
hunter
Feb 2021
#20