Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirtel
Hmm. I take it you're a man. There's no way it would not feel offensive if you're a woman.
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As a woman, back when 'inclusive' language started gaining traction, I greatly disliked the idea that I should deem myself excluded from the generic man/men. Among other things, I felt that it would lead to a greater misreading of older texts, than the assumption that man/men was normally being used in a generic sense would have. Which seems to be true, as I've encountered people who seem to be completely unaware that man/men were ever generic terms for any human being.
I still am annoyed by the idea that I should feel offended even though I have accepted that English has not changed in the direction I would have preferred, partly due to sheer annoyance at the assumption that since I belong to a particular group I should feel a certain way. If I *refuse* to consider myself excluded, if I refuse to consider the probable intent of the author (death to authorial intent!) or accept someone else's assertation that I should feel excluded, that's my business.