Thread by @cmclymer

For some reason, the idea that singular they/them pronouns violate longstanding laws of grammar--and therefore shouldn't be used--refuses to die.

Here's a helpful thread on various language usage authorities endorsing singular use of they/them pronouns (THREAD):

#PronounsDay

Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster), the oldest full-size English language dictionary in the world, points out that singular use of they/them has been around since the late-1300s and heartily endorses such usage for non-binary persons: merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/…

Merriam-Webster formally added singular use of they/them to their dictionary last month: washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/…

Oh, and here's a rather delicious smackdown from the folks at the Oxford English Dictionary (the well-respected British English dictionary), who also endorse singular use of they/them: public.oed.com/blog/a-brief-h…

So does The Associated Press, who, in 2017, started advising journalists who reference the AP Stylebook to use they/them for non-binary persons. Wall Street Journalist columnist and linguist Ben Zimmer said "It's about time." poynter.org/reporting-edit…

Geoffrey Nunberg--the American linguist, researcher, professor, and longtime commentator on language usage for @NPR's Fresh Air--wrote a rather fantastic commentary on singular they/them pronouns this year: npr.org/2019/08/06/744…

Shall I keep going? It seems the world's leading language authorities are completely at peace with using singular they/them pronouns, which makes one think that for those opposed, this was never about grammar but profound discomfort with the gender identity of others. /thread