Singular They

language lgbtq Aug 23, 2019
Stylized They/Them
Because it's unfamiliar to many people, I often get asked about the use of the pronoun they in reference to me, a singular person. As someone who is genderqueer (non-binary; identifying as a complex blend of both male and female), I use the singular they rather than he or she, both of which are not complete or fully correct for me. 
 
Fun fact: the singular they was deemed Word of the Year back in 2015 and the Washington Post officially incorporated it into their style guide the same year. 
 
Also, did you know that Shakespeare and them regularly used they in the singular format? You didn't used to be a singular and plural pronoun. The point is that language evolves and so do the grammar rules that determine our languaging practices. 
 
Here are a few websites and articles if you care to learn more about its use and some of the conversations around it:

So, now that you have some new insights on the singular they, how will you start putting your knowledge to use in the real world?

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