\u25ba\u25ba\u25baWHY read this? This concerns everyone who feels threatened by he, she, they, or anything.\u25c4\u25c4\u25c4<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I used to write (s)he, awkwardly, so I went back to he<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Politically incorrect, humanly correct, of course:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women can feel downplayed by he<\/em> because he<\/em> has been used frequently in order to downplay them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I get that, although I never would think of doing it so. I also get that avoiding he<\/em> doesn’t change the downplaying. He<\/em> doesn’t downplay, but the user does, and in a way, also the receiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much better is to put he<\/em> at a more abstract level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That way, you don’t let the abuser make you change anything. It’s they<\/em> who make you use the singular they<\/em>. It can make you see this even as a double whammy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I feel personally downplayed by this double change, not as a man but as a human being. I do not want to write under the yoke of singular they<\/em>. As a woman, I wouldn’t feel more downplayed than now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, he<\/em> brings into contact with the downplay, but so does singular they<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, in French, referring to women and men, they use ‘ils’ and ‘eux.’ This plural they<\/em> is masculine, without any problem still as far as I know, because it’s more abstract. I hope they keep it so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, they don’ nibble out gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I want to be able to be gentle to a woman as a man. Yep, in an old-fashioned way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t want to be ‘progressive’ if that means losing value. There’s a lot more besides this, that one can be progressive about \u2014 new valuable things, customs, emotions even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s about growing based on what already is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have the impression that this plays a huge role in politics, for instance. People don’t want to lose what they already know to gain what they still don’t know. Especially if \u2013 deep- value is involved in any which way. This plays a substantial role in many elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s about much more, of course, then merely some grammar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, it’s about people’s Inner Strength. Please, don’t take it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might cultivate it instead. Automatically, people will become less vulnerable to mass-manipulators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The world will be a better place.<\/p>\nHe<\/em> doesn’t downplay women.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Women can be stronger than to be bothered by he<\/em>.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
I mentioned a more abstract level.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Let’s keep gender.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Being progressive is not about cutting.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Plural nonsense<\/h5>\n\n\n\n