[SpamCop-List] Re: Tiresome

[Mike Easter]

FWIW, IMO, etc - my own feelings, as a person who very frequently, but
not always, uses gender neutral prounoun neologisms hir and s/he, but try
to not go overboard rewriting the English language

I try to 'think' when I use a gender specific word which may or not have
'evolved' into a more gender neutral one, and decide whether I want to
use that word 'anyway' or not.

Examples of a few words I think have taken on a gender neutral flavor in
my environment:  guys, aviator, fireman, waiter.

Words like 'men' are rarely neutral, except in the context of a team,
like a 5 man mixed volleyball team.

But, you/we males should consider to yourselves, this particular 'shoe
fit' example -- if your handle were not gender specific, would you be
happy, unhappy, or 'neutral' if I refer to you or yours as 's/he' or
'hir'

Also, in sex, race and ethnic issues of 'terminology insensitivity', when
we so often think, "If that were me, it wouldn't bother me so much." -- 
that may be because you haven't walked a mile in those moccasins.

All that being said, if I were in an environment in which 'insensitive'
remarks were being made, like a male-bashing women's group, I would try
to do both/either - ignore insensitive or even mean-spirited  remarks or
terms, as well as speak up against some others, depending.


-- 
Mike Easter
kibitzer, not SC admin