actually, I think we're WINNING.

[lotesse]

So I was sure when I got a snotty email in my inbox, sent from one of my professors to the entire class, banging on about the use of "they" as a generic pronoun rather than "he," and calling the entire thing a grammatical error - the best part was when he lamented that soon the war would be "lost," and we wouldn't be able to enforce patriarchy on our own students - that if I was not the main target I was at least included. I'm the most vocal feminist in the class, certainly. And so I was sure that I'd be marked down, and I was sort of bracing myself to write letters and possibly contest the grade if that bit of sexist pedantry was my only sin - and then I opened my grades, and the bastard gave me an A. He never gives As! Sir, I'm confused.

Comments

[rydra_wong]

AFAIK, it's a move that's been going on since the 1300s *g*:

http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/austheir.html

[princessofgeeks]

wow; fascinating links. I had no idea.

I have occasion to use or refer to six or seven different English textbooks and writing textbooks in the course of a typical semester, and none of them have ruled it correct.

I guess the authors of those texts are part of the No It's Wrong movement that the article refers to, LOL.

[msilverstar]

I have a feeling that Texas textbooks may be "traditional" while the rest of us have pretty much moved on.

[princessofgeeks]

that's probably true. I teach at the college level, and not in Texas.