Apparently using they as a singular pronoun (to use instead of he and she) is hardly a new phenomenon. It dates back to 1375 in written records!

In fact, singular you is much more recent! Dating back to the 17th century! 😂

Oh, this quote’s fun, and it shows that our gender-related issues has been going on for centuries:

In 1794, a contributor to the New Bedford Medley mansplains to three women that the singular they they used in an earlier essay in the newspaper was grammatically incorrect and does no ‘honor to themselves, or the female sex in general.’ To which they honourably reply that they used singular they on purpose because ‘we wished to conceal the gender,’ and they challenge their critic to invent a new pronoun if their politically-charged use of singular they upsets him so much.

Source:
https://public.oed.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-singular-they/

I’d say it’s probably safe to use they in general. I do use singular they regularly and it’s the least fuss imo.

#English #Language #Pronouns #They