On 7 Oct 2006 12:06:14 -0700, "lardychap" <gareth_m_evans@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
wrote:
>If you called them "girls" then they might get upset..... It's a bloody
>minefield.
One of the few instances in which appearing like a strait-laced
schoolmarm is an advantage to me.
I wos in a meeting of mix-gendered injunears. (There had recently
been a gender-related todo at work.) At this meeting, one of the
higher-ups used the word "guys" to address all present, and ...
.... immediately looked at me and freaked out.
I reacted by giving all an "oh, puh-leeze" look, and then writing a
long-winded resolution which stated that "guys" was hereinafter
declared to be the gender-neutral plural noun of choice yadda yadda
yadda, and sending it around the table to be signed by all present.
The really, really fun bit of this was watching who, around the table,
signed it ...
(1) in a similar state of humour
(2) in a state of relief (thank deities she isn't upset ...)
(3) ... this is funniest of all ... one of them ak****rly wrote an "I
abstain" signature because s/he wos *still* waaaaay too uptight ...
Odd who doesn't much care about the shape of anyone's plumbing
ferchrissakes ...


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