To think more MNers are using the pronoun 'they' in threads despite knowing the sex of the person?

[PieceofKate]

It's really starting to wind me up. I keep seeing threads where a PP refers quite clearly to a person as 'he' or 'she', or 'my mother', 'my daughter', 'my son' etc - but then people responding switch to 'they'.

I've just seen one. A poster whose neighbour is moving her post. She refers to him as 'he'. A few replies in and he's suddenly a 'they'.

I do this as I can't always remember if the person in question is a make or female after reading the responses. Frankly I have other things to worry about than peoples' word choices that are accurate if not specific.

I use this to try and disguise who the person is. Just in case someone knows me irl.
Nothing to do with gender ideology. Which is a crock of shit much like astrology

I sometimes forget if the op is talking about someone male or female so I use they quite a lot.

I have also noticed that many people (including myself) automatically assume that a person of unknown sex is a "he". E.g. "that driver has blocked me in with his car" so I'm trying to be less prejudiced (when talking in real life) and use they or sometimes "he or she" more.

At the end of the day I don't think it's a big deal.

I sometimes forget if the op is talking about someone male or female so I use they quite a lot.

I find that too. Especially when posters are taking about their children. When you’re using acronyms it’s easy to forget. I can’t always remember if it was DS or DD, I can’t be bothered to go back and check, so then I just use ‘DC’ and ‘they’ when I reply. I reckon that’s common.

And on the app you can't see the OP without deleting everything you've written.

@Carrieonmywaywardsun

Slightly off-topic but you can!

If you start typing your reply, just close out, go back to OP's posts, and even you re-open your reply, it'll all be there.

It doesn't work if you are quoting a post tho (you will lose it all if you close the New Post screen).

Can't say I've noticed but I've used 'they' all my life without thinking about it.

Oh no OP you have spotted the secret agenda we have all been trying to spread to allow non binary to take over and she/her to be eradicated from our language. I’m going to have report you and get you locked up before you reveal the conspiracy

Ah mine doesn't let me! Bloody technology

Here's an actual example of what I mean - www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4624316-to-feel-like-dh-is-being-possessive-over-our-baby?page=1.

A multi paragraph OP in which the child is awkwardly referred to as they, them, the baby and DC throughout. One "her" has slipped in but in pretty much every mention of they, them, the baby etc it would sound much more natural to say she or her. It's weird.

I wonder if what will happen is that they will become a symbol of not knowing a person, so a bit more formal and he/she will pick up familiar connotations. A little like tu/vous in French, but for third person.