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Subject:Re: gender bias in language From:Scott McDaniel <mcdaniel -at- PIONEER -dot- USPTO -dot- GOV> Date:Fri, 4 Aug 1995 16:49:02 EDT
> Gene Ledbetter wrote:
> <snip>
> >James Perkins mentioned the idiosyncratic convention of
> >using the pronoun "she," rather than the traditional "he,"
> >when referring to an anonymous individual. I once owned an
> >entire book that followed this unconvention. The practice
> >was distracting and irritating, and it detracted from an
> >otherwise interesting book on how to get published. I have
> >also read material in which the author alternated between
> >"he" and "she." This practice was extremely irritating, and
> >I tossed the fool thing aside unread.
> >
> <snip>
> So you found the practice of using "she" to refer to an anonymous individual
> "distracting and irritating"? How do you think I feel when I see "he" used
> indiscriminately? I find it distracting and irritating that the author
> couldn't be bothered to even imagine that a woman would read the material.
> Grow up.
> Win
> -----------------
> Win Day
> Technical Writer/Editor
> Email: winday -at- idirect -dot- com
I can't speak for the person you're replying to, but I suspect that
you may have drawn the wrong conclusion. All the original poster said
was:
(1) "She" as a general pronoun was distracting and irritating
(2) Switching between "he" and "she" was also distracting and irritating
Nowhere did he say that using "he" all the time was any less distracting
and irritating. Personally, I find both all three approaches
unsatisfactory. If I must do something, I use "he or she."
Scott McD.
--
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Stand hard-disk lame hers up lie. | Scott McDaniel
| Garcia Consulting, Inc.
I'm a citizen of Legoland, | (703) 412-3662
Travelling incommunicado! - Fish | mcdaniel -at- pioneer -dot- uspto -dot- gov
