“I remember Elliot Page, in one of the ‘X-Men,’ sat as close as we are now. And I had to speak when they’d finished, and I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Nobody could hear what they were saying. So, I said, ‘Look, if you can’t speak up, would you mind when you’re finished speaking, just dropping your hand so I know when you’ve finished speaking?’
And then they came out [as gay] years later, and suddenly you couldn’t stop them talking. You heard everything. And now…they’re Elliot. And I’m so happy for Elliot. And so disappointed in myself that I didn’t detect what their difficulty was with communicating.”— Out screen legend Ian McKellen in a recent interview with Attitude voicing support for his former X-Men costar Elliot Page, who came out as transgender in early December.
Cam
Good lesson to be aware that your reality isn’t their reality. Glad he spoke up.
Jake123
I love Ian McKellan I wish he was my Grandad!!
Gabby
Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and dignity and I will refer to someone how they want to be referred as BUT…. I will not refer to one single person as they, NO! They is not one person, they is referring to more than one person. It may sound offensive to some but no one has the right to change the meaning of words. You are a he, she or transsexual not a THEY!
gothvixen
So your initial statement is incorrect. You prefer pointless pedantism to showing respect. If you want to talk about a person in general without specifying a gender, they is perfectly fine to represent the singular. For example: I would show respect to a person by using the pronouns they prefer. See?
Fname Optional Lname
Except they has always been used to refer to a single person, just not by you. Some people do not feel that they fit in to the one of the three categories you described as being he, she or transsexual. If they feel that the word “they” adequately describes them it really does not cost anything to honor their request.
Roy Ajax
Fname
“They” has only been used, historically, in reference to a person you don’t know the gender of or in reference to two or more people. I’m with Gabby, “they” is stupid and it’s ridiculous for a TINY faction of people to DEMAND we change the language because of their feelings. There is man. There is woman. I will use the pronound a trans person wants (he or she) if they’re making the change… but i’m not going to get suckered by some arrogant self-entitled immature person into calling them anything other than he or she.
inbama
I’m with Gabby.
I’d rather enroll in conversion therapy than use the “singular they.”
tf3.0
THEY can call themselves whatever THEY want.
But when I have to reread the same thing 6 times until I realize what is going on– then they are imposing insanity on OUR language.
When did the preference of .001% get to transform language? Be trans, Im happy for you, but come on.
Come on.
Cam
@Roy Ajax said….
“They” has only been used, historically, in reference to a person you don’t know the gender of or in reference to two or more people.
——————————-
What a shock, ONCE AGAIN, the same old right wing troll is in here clutching their pearls.
Oh, and also, you’re a liar. You can use “They” as you want, even if gender is known.
As far as my opinion, if you grew up with a friend who used to be called Mikey, and when they grew up they want you to call them “Michael”, I’m not going to say “That’s stupid, you don’t have the right do tell me what to call you!”
I’ll call them Michael.
Not sure how it wrecks your life to call someone what they want to be called.
glennmcbride
Just because you don’t like the use of “they” as a singular pronoun, it does not mean it is not correct usage. According to the Oxford English dictionary, “they” has been used as a singular pronoun as far back as 1325. So don’t complain that it is incorrect usage, it is not. You may not like and are free to use alternatives, but don’t complain about it being incorrect usage.
LumpyPillows
Having had to write documents and narratives, this hodgepodge of irregular pronouns is a nightmare. I also think it is done for attention by straight people.
ingyaom
Now I know what “self-own” means.
connorlarkin19
Roy Ajax, you have my sympathy sounding jaded as a 1970s backroom Comma Queen searching for a ‘real men’.
Roy Ajax
What? I don’t understand what you’re saying. What’s a Comma Queen?
michael_bates
They/Them was used in my generation as our missing partner … example … “Michael where is your girlfriend? ” “They are home tonight” … when I am asked to use pronouns I say I prefer not to use pronouns … However that does not make me an enemy, as I have been labeled in class ( Masters student at Bryn Mawr College (Class of 2020) ). I had a professor ask me “What shall we call you then?” I simply and matter of factly said … Michael.
I respect those individuals that ask you use their preferred pronouns, but because I prefer to be called my first name does not make me an enemy of this generation. Some words still sting or bring up negative stereotypes (QUEER). I fought and marched for my community to stop being labeled by the “straight community” in negative terms and stereotypes , and now are community wants to be labeled. To me this only makes our community splintered.