Current Events > "Can we still say me and I?"

(+) Yeah! (+)

Part of a real life conversation we had at work with a co-worker who admitted to not really knowing what pronouns were until the recent cultural discussion over them.

Everyone's been using singular they and calling people by the names they request since forever, but being made aware of pronouns suddenly either A) confuses people) or B) triggers their refusal to anything anyone asks of them.

And for the record, I calmly explained pronouns to her. "Pronouns take the place of a proper noun. They is neutral. You can use it for anyone of any gender. If someone says they don't want to be called he or she, use they. Singular they has been commonplace since Shakespeare's day. You already use it all the time. Me and I are first-person pronouns, so of course you can still use them and no one is trying to stop you. Everyone is just asking for respect for their name and pronouns, not to redefine anyone else's."