this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2024
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[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 108 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Always liked this one:

But this one is good too...

[–] fjordbasa@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Not complaining or calling it out but I’ve seen the words in the 2nd applied to sooo many different comics. I think that’s actually kind of great that it’s so flexible 😆

[–] Pelicanen@sopuli.xyz 25 points 1 week ago

I think it's originally from Red vs Blue

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 101 points 1 week ago (5 children)

In "who left their bag here"'s case, the gender of the person is not known because their identity isn't known, so it doesn't feel strange to use (for us old farts). It can take some effort to retrain your brain to use "they" when it's a single person whose identity is known (speaking from experience as a Gen Xer).

Or the person might just be a transphobic asshole. But I like to think that most just need to educate themselves on using pronouns correctly.

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 30 points 1 week ago (5 children)

One thing that might help it feel less strange is realising that you already use a grammatically plural pronoun to refer to individuals all the time: the word "you". It's always "you are tall", not "you is tall", same as "we" or "they" instead of "he" or "she". This is because it was historically plural, and "thou" was the singular. Over time we started using the plural to be more polite, and then eventually always using it.

[–] JackbyDev@programming.dev 11 points 1 week ago (17 children)

"Thou is tall" sounds weird though.

you already use a grammatically plural pronoun to refer to individuals all the time: the word "you". It's always "you are tall",

This made my brain short circuit lol. Can't believe I never noticed.

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[–] Makeshift@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I’m joining in the “this blew my mind” sentiment and just want to say thanks for sharing this tidbit of info.

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[–] emeralddawn45@discuss.tchncs.de 24 points 1 week ago

Yeah it can take a while to get used to, especially if you knew the person before they changed their pronouns. But the point is it isnt incompatible with our language at all. I think the last panel would be better if it showed the (transphobic) guy and another person and he says "this activist said the craziest thing to me today" and then the second person says "oh yeah, what'd THEY say" because then the 'they' pronoun would be directly referring to the person who wanted to be called 'they' in the first place.

[–] Ookami38@sh.itjust.works 17 points 1 week ago (5 children)

I mean, I'm mid 30s, and it took me a long time to internalize "he, she, they" rather than "he, she, it". It's just how they were used when I was growing up. Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to learn and grow. At the end of the day, just speak with respect and make sure you listen as much as, or more than, speak.

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[–] Moobythegoldensock@lemm.ee 93 points 1 week ago (4 children)

I remember as a kid the teachers were desperately trying to make “he or she” a thing and told us the singular “they” would never be acceptable.

I’m personally glad that movement failed.

[–] stinky@redlemmy.com 51 points 1 week ago (8 children)

looking back, some of my educators were monumentally stupid

OVERSHARING TIME

My body doesn't burp; when I drink something carbonated I have to physically gag myself with something to get the air out. When I was a kid I didn't know this and would get pain in my stomach and didn't understand why.

Coke with my lunch two days in a row resulted in trips to my home room teacher to ask to see the nurse, or go home. My home room teacher crossed her arms and said, "this is the second day in a row you've done this to us," and lectured me about trying to get out of class. I had no way of proving that I was actually in pain. I was angry and scared and couldn't do anything about it. Do not give me the keys to the time machine or there will be violence.

[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I had a math teacher that was there to coach football… instead of the normal method for balancing equations and such he’d insist you use his wonky play call diagrams.

Which made all the other algebra and trig teachers have re-teach kids coming out of his last class.

Dude was a stereotypical jock that was going to give one of his athletes a free pass for stuffing a friend of mine into a locker. At least until i stuffed the tight end in his locker, instead.

So. How about this. We swap the keys and go all strangers on a train?

[–] stinky@redlemmy.com 8 points 1 week ago

You sound fun to hang out with. I'm in.

[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I had this exact same problem growing up. When I started drinking excessive amounts of beer the pressure became enough to break through, and I finally started burping. That somehow fixed my body completely, and I've been able to burp normally ever since, but my God I'll never forget the pain of being unable to burp. Literally the worst pain of my life

[–] stinky@redlemmy.com 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm glad you can belch now. 🍻

[–] JellyfishGalaxy@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hey I remember a Hank Green video about this. I suffer from time to time with not being able to burp either, so I tried to remember this. Basically, botox injections are found to help for not burping, I think a specific variety, where a muscle is not working right. I think it's more in the testing phase, but maybe, you too could burp someday!

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[–] meep_launcher@lemm.ee 52 points 1 week ago (6 children)

Someone correct me, but "you" was originally plural. The correct way to address a singular person is "thou".

[–] OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 22 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] Klear@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It was a funny comment, but I wouldn't call it art.

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 8 points 1 week ago
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[–] Skua@kbin.earth 41 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Roses are red Violets are blue The singular "they" Pre-dates singular "you"

[–] jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de 21 points 1 week ago

Thou shalt use proper pronouns and not be lazy recycling plural pronouns in the singular. What next, are thou planing to use a singular "we" like inbred royalty?

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Youse guys should use the plural you

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[–] CommissarVulpin@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

When I started interacting with a non-binary person more often, the only reflexive pronoun that came to mind was ‘themselves.’ As in, “They bought themselves a pair of socks for their birthday.” It felt a bit awkward since I couldn’t shake the plural association in my head, but I still used it to be respectful.

Then I remembered that the word ‘themself’ exists and I felt stupid.

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[–] Jackthelad@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago (1 children)

If you're introducing yourself to me, I only need your name.

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

So you're going to refer to John by John's name exclusively? Sounds a bit awkward, but okay.

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

I'm tired of calling John, John, every time I refer to Join, but I wasn't paying attention to John's pronouns, so now I'm stuck until I have a chance to ask John, when I next see John.

Source: I've done this, actually. I hope I was more subtle.

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Or you could just use "they." Convenient!

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[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 20 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Calling people what they ask to be called just doesn't have to be this difficult.

And yes, his royal lordship Starn, the majestic, that goes for you, too. It's fine. We're cool with your chosen name. And I admit, the opera cape absolutely works for you.

And I don't need to know what genitalia most other people are rocking. That's none of my business, unless we're really into each-other, in a very intimate way.

It takes all my willpower not to be get pretty inappropriate every time a government form asks my birth sex:

"Oh! We just met at this office of motor vehicles...I didn't know you felt that way about me! This is so much to process. I admit there's a mutual attraction. Of course I feel it too. I'm delighted that you had a special form made up to ask! I'm flattered! Want to grab dinner, and see where this goes?"

[–] dont_lemmee_down@lemm.ee 10 points 1 week ago

Calling people what they ask to be called just doesn't have to be this difficult.

We in fact do it all the time. It's just people have gotten used to using names. But it's not like you were born with a Dave chromosome. Your parents decided to call you Dave, so in the end it's also just a made up name/sound.

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[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I get irked when someone says “he or she,” especially repeatedly, because the singular “they” is so much easier to hear and read.

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[–] Vipsu@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

In Finnish language there are no gender specific pronouns only gender neutral one hän/hänen.

They/them still sounds weird to use even if I know it can be used to refer single person. When talking or writing fast I'll still often accidentally default to using he/him even for females which I then have to correct.

[–] devfuuu@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

In my language everything little word is gendered so everything you talk about is bound by it. It's extremely confusing thinking or understanding how to describe something in terms "non-gendered".

I really am supportive of all the changes needed in the world, but the use of "they" is very confusing in a singular form for people who don't have it as first language and concepts and everything was learned by mapping stuff to other language, so please invent some word for it and go with it. It's already strange and always difficult understanding the usage of "you" in singular vs plural and formal or not speech.

I really wish my language also had gender neutral pronouns, it just sound so much simpler and better.

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