Pronoun Trouble: Notes on Radical Gender Inclusion in English

English speakers face a dilemma: the current structure of their language is exclusionary with regard to gender. This chapter suggests that radical gender inclusion is best achieved not with personalized gender pronouns, but general (also termed epicene) “they.” By examining pronouns across place and time, the chapter shows how English already marks gender only on third-person singular pronouns, and replacing these with they is feasible and effective. While there are significant disadvantages to personalized gender pronouns, there are also perils to epicene “they,” and the chapter discusses how to address these disadvantages. Using a comparative analysis and employing a decolonial perspective that decenters English, the chapter seeks to contribute to a future of radical gender inclusion and to demonstrate the power of queer anthropology to contribute to crucial contemporary debates.