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Generic ID

September 7th, 2010 · 31 Comments- add yours

In writing, we all suffer from a big problem.

The problem is generic identification. 

For years (ca. 900 A.D.) the English language has referred to a generic person as “he” (or his, him, etc.). 

Identification is the act of identifying a person (also animal or thing).  The example given by Dictionary.com for identification is “He carries his identification with him at all times.“ 

Although many writers continue this practice, it is not hard to recognize that females feel a little put off by it. 

So how do we writers identify a generic persona without it being considered “gender favorable” (I prefer that term rather than ‘sexist’)?

If we admit that both genders carry identification, we can change the sentence to “_____ carries _____ identification with _____ at all times,” where the first blank space is filled with “He or she” or “She or He” or “He/she” or “She/he” or “S/he” all awkward constructs, especially when combined with “his or her” or “her or his” in the second blank space and “him or her” or “her or him” in the third blank space.

Picking only one option, the sentence would read something like “He or she carries his or her identification with him or her at all times.“  Yuk.

In established English usage, the generic pronouns like He, His, and Him have been used to identify single persons when they can apply to either or both genders (every writer should raise his right hand), and especially when they apply to indefinite pronouns like Someone, Anyone or Everyone (everyone should raise his right hand). 

There are, of course, ways to simply avoid the problem. 

We can change the number from singular to plural allowing us to use Their, Them or They (all writers should raise their right hand, or all should raise their right hand). 

We can use both references in several ways, all awkward and not widely adopted:

  • He or she; she or he; he/she; she/he; s/he
  • His or her; her or his; his/her; her/his
  • Him or her; her or him; him/her; her/him

We can use the generic “one” as in “One carries one’s identification with one at all times“.

Increasing in usage in all but the most conservative areas, changing the indefinite to plural and therefore avoiding gender-specific “he,” is more and more acceptable.  We can follow the leads of Shakespeare, Shelley, Scott and Dickens who freely used “they” or “anyone” to refer to subjects of indefinite gender. 

I suppose we could invent a new word to refer to a genderless person.  Instead of “his” or “her” we could use “hiser” or “heris.”  Instead of “him” or “her” we could use “herim” or “himer.”  None of these have any current dictionary meanings or thesaurus entries, so I believe we’re safe.

As far as “he” is concerned, both “heshe” and “shehe” when said aloud sound a lot like a braying donkey, although “heshe” is gaining some popularity.

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