[no subject]

[Tracy Boyington <trlyboyi -at- GENESIS -dot- ODVTE -dot- STATE -dot- OK -dot- US>]

Kelly Mullins wrote:
> And there's the youngest mental age group of all - those who grew up with
> women in positions of power and influence all around them, and who know
> that a chairman can be a woman, but who insist, in their immaturity, on
> perceiving third person pronouns ("he" OR "she") as gender biased, sexist
> insults.

> Please. Grow up.  No one's denying that sexism exists, but it's the use of
> pronouns is not the place to look for it or decry it.  People who do so
> make a mockery of the real problems.

Not to beat a dead horse, but...

If it's true that "he" is a truly gender-neutral term, then why don't
nursing textbooks refer to nurses as "he?" Trust me, they don't. It's
one thing to say that "he" or "him" can refer to either sex, which in
some ways is true. But "she" tends to be used when referring to those
wonderful traditional female low-pay, low-authority positions (such
as secretary, nurse, and teacher).  I don't think calling this to
your attention is making a mockery of real problems. I think
correcting problems like this would be just a drop in the bucket, but
that's the only way to fill the bucket.

Off my soapbox for today.

Tracy


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Tracy Boyington
Technical Communication Specialist
Oklahoma Department of Vocational & Technical Education
Stillwater, Oklahoma

I never express opinions, but if one slips out, it belongs
to me and not ODVTE.
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