Using The Singular "they" to Promote Inclusivity in Your Writing
You may have been taught in school that using the singular “they” to refer to one person is grammatically incorrect. While the singular “they” has been employed for centuries by famous authors, professional writers, and as part of everyday language, your teacher was right, was being the keyword.
In 2019, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary officially stated that it is grammatically correct to use the singular “they” in writing, including academic and professional writing. They even made “they” one of their words of the year. While “they” has been used to refer to someone or anyone whose gender is unknown or is not immediately clear, it is now appropriate and, again, grammatically correct, to refer to an individual as “they” if that individual does not go by gender binary pronouns.
In this blog post, we want to address two things: 1) Using the singular “they” is something you’ve probably already been doing, unconsciously when you speak, and possibly even when you write. And, 2) The singular “they” can be an adjustment when referring to a non-gender binary individual, but it also reflects the nature of the English language.
You’ve been doing it, and now the experts are giving you permission
Merriam-Webster gives you the go-ahead, but the associations that make the rules for professional and academic writing—APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.—all agree: It is grammatically correct to use the singular “they” when referring to an individual whose gender is unknown or not immediately clear, and it is grammatically correct to use the singular “they” when referring to a non-gender binary person.
It’s great that Merriam-Webster and the major associations have officially decided that the singular “they” is appropriate and expected, but this decree isn’t a new development. In fact, “A brief history on singular ‘they’” traces the singular “they” back to 1375 in writing, and possibly even earlier in forms of speech before they were written down. It wasn’t until the 18th century that the singular “they” was considered incorrect (hence your teacher being right, kind of), but even then, 18th-century grammarians still used other “plural” words to refer to individuals (i.e. “you”—yes, if you were speaking to one person, the correct word would have been “thou”).
In speaking perhaps more than writing, we as users of the English language have continued to use plural words to refer to individuals throughout a history that has at times said the singular “they” was grammatically correct and at other times has declared it grammatically incorrect. Think about it: when you go to the movies, and someone’s coat is reserving a chair, you probably say something like, “Someone else is sitting here. Their coat is blocking this chair.” Merriam-Webster and the professional associations have simply given their contemporary stamp of approval for the singular “they” in professional and academic writing for something English speakers have done for centuries in speech and writing.
Adjusting to the changing nature of the English language
You might be thinking, “Okay. It makes sense to use the singular ‘they’ to refer to someone if I don’t know their gender, but why can’t I refer to a non-gender binary using gender pronouns.”
As we said before, it can be an adjustment to use they/their/them when referring to an individual who uses non-gender binary pronouns, but adjustment is the nature of the English language.
A Time’s article speaks to the hesitancy some feel in using the singular “they” and points out the institutions at play in our language: “While it’s natural for the usage of pronouns to evolve, just as all language evolves, students are taught that pronouns are the bedrock of language, and it can be discomfiting when the rules about how to use them start to shift.”
Additionally, the article sympathizes, “‘When there are changes, it can feel much more fundamental,’ explains linguist Ben Zimmer, ‘and that obviously leads to a lot of backlash.’… ‘If people have trouble now, it’s understandable…because when we’re dealing with something as fundamental as a pronoun, changes like this might seem to go against people’s deeply held feelings about how language works.’” However, the article ultimately points out a major component of the English Language: change.
Just as the correctness of using the singular “they” has changed throughout time, our language is constantly undergoing changes that reflect our evolving technology, popular culture, values, and practices. Consider: At one point in time, you may have used gendered terms like waitress and waiter to refer to the person serving you at a restaurant. In fact, these gendered terms were the norm for the way we referred to men and women doing the same job (author and authoress; chairman and chairwoman; steward and stewardess; etc.). Just as these job titles were appropriate or normalized within the English language, it’s just as appropriate and normalized to now use server, or words that don’t require you to specify gender (author, chairperson, flight attendant, etc.).
Moving away from the politics of gendered and biased language completely, think about words that were a part of your everyday language ten or twenty years ago. For example, you might have used a PalmPilot, which was a part of your regular vocabulary on a day-to-day basis. If you said to your assistant today, “Can you grab my PalmPilot; I need to check my notes before my next meeting,” they might look at you like you’re crazy. Just as the nature of our technology, popular culture, values, and practices change with time, so too does our language.
If using the singular “they” seems to go against your fundamental idea of what language is and how it is supposed to function, remember that language has constantly changed and will continue to constantly change, because change is the nature of written and spoken communication.
In summary, the singular “they” is grammatically correct, and you can and should use the singular “they” in your business writing to not only promote correctness (which increases your credibility) but also to promote inclusivity within your workplace.
We at Appendance want to help you and your employees with your correctness and credibility in your writing, and we also strive to help you increase inclusivity as part of your company culture. If you would like additional training on using correctness, credibility, and inclusive language in your written communications, consider learning more through our online business writing course or by inviting us to provide a live seminar at your company!