Merriam-Webster Adds 'Them' to the Dictionary As a 'Non-Binary' Pronoun

Brittany M. Hughes | September 18, 2019
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Looks like they've gone and done it, now. And by "they," I mean them. 

No, no. Not multiple people. Just one. One person of the gender-non-conforming variety. I know I said "them," but I didn't mean more than one person. Or maybe I did? There's really no way to tell. The world may never know.

Confused? Let me explain.

Merriam-Webster announced late Tuesday that the dictionary has officially added “they” as a “non-binary” pronoun – meaning a man or woman who doesn’t identify as either male or female can go by the traditionally gender-neutral plural “they” and “them” instead of “he” or “she.”

Not that they weren’t already, but this makes it stupid in an official sense.
 


According to the dictionary, “they” when used to describe an individual is defined as “a single person whose gender identity is nonbinary.”

In a retweet Tuesday, New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hailed the addition as “great news.”


One "non-binary" pronoun down, only 734 more to go.

(Photo Credit: Ted Eytan)

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