Xref: utzoo uw.general:1974 comp.edu:3735
Newsgroups: uw.general,comp.edu
Path: utzoo!censor!geac!contact!watcsc!maytag!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton)
Subject: Re:  Inclusive language...
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Distribution: uw
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 90 18:04:04 GMT
Message-ID: <1990Oct27.180404.536@looking.on.ca>
References: <1990Oct27.165810.4278@watdragon.waterloo.edu>

I still maintain that ignorance is not malice in this case.
I actually don't even think the typical educated participant is that
uninformed.

Over the past year or two, I have taken the habit of, when needing
a pronoun for a generic person, picking "she" from time to time instead
of "he."   In particular, I have done this in cases like "programmer"
"taxpayer" and "business owner", where the assuption of a penis is common.

Nobody ever notices or comments or gets upset.   People probably double-
take at it, but quickly realize what it means.

In more formal writing, I use "he or she" and equivalents, but this makes
the writing more formal and dry, which I dislike.   My method above is
good in general, but is not valid yet for formal use.  (Plus it takes
the risk that random selection might be accused of stereotyping.  I know
that random selection of jokes can get one accused of racism.)
-- 
Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473