The English language is filled with a variety of silly rules--rules you should never, never, never abide by because you're a savagely good looking and charismatic individual who wears expensive Italian suits and/or shoes and flaunts society's conventions.
This is to say I'm not against flattery, and I'm also here to twist your arm. (God, you smell great! New cologne/perfume?) Rules in the English language are largely misguided, antiquated, or outright false, rules like Never end a sentence with a preposition! or Don't split an infinitive! or Don't use an adverb with a feeling verb! (Have you done something new with your hair? It looks so full and shiny!)
Another English language 'rule' is that you should always use her/him whenever writing and a singular pronoun is called for--never, ever the plural they. Specificity is key, proponents claim, and they is gender-neutral. (Goodness, it looks like you've lost weight!)
But there are some people--usually people who are writers, who encounter pronouns by the hour ((waves!!)), writers prone to flattery--that gravitate toward the gender-vague they as a singular term. We all use it in conversation every day, so why can't it be written? (Your eyebrows smolder like George Clooney's, just sayin'.)
Writers are split on the matter. Sides are taken. Flattery gets thrown about to woo the undecided. (Your teeth are so white and perfectly straight!)
This explains why the Washington Post Style Guide is now accepting they as a singular term.The Post's copy editor, Bill Walsh, explains it's all really simple, mainly because it's "the only sensible solution to English’s lack of a gender-neutral third-person singular personal pronoun." And, I swear, half of what Walsh just said makes sense. Promise.
Once one style guide joins the fray, it's only a matter of time (or flattery) before other style guides follow suit. But you don't want to be a follower. You're a leader. A quick witted, gorgeous individual with sun-kissed skin that's just simply radiant!
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