[Hcoop-discuss] Web design tweaked

[ntk at hcoop.net]

> On Mon, 2005-11-14 at 00:22 -0500, John Settino, "Nion" wrote:
>> I know this may seem trivial but just in case someone of the female
>> persuasion joins hcoop, you should probably change "him" to "him/her" in
>> the very last sentence.
>>
>> - John
>
> Read a style manual. He is gender inclusive in standard English. Him/her
> (and he/she) is a non-grammatical construct.

This is a nonhelpful reply.  There's no need to get into a grammar/P.C.
argument here, which is where it looks like this line of thinking is
going.  It costs nothing to use gender neutral language and many people
find it more welcoming and inclusive.  In this case changing the sentence
"Trying to figure out which specific user runs the site in question and
contacting him is far preferable, of course." to "Directly contacting the
user who maintains the site is far preferable, of course." seems both more
grammatical and clear without calling all our users "hims."

-ntk

P.S. There are hundreds or thousands of style manuals offering differing
advice depending on organization that publishes it.  "Style" by is after
all a matter of taste, and it is hardly a fringe opinion that the
traditional use of the male pronoun should be modified.