You betcha we will. Here are some strategies writers faced with this
problem have devised:
1. Alternate "she" or "her" with "he" or "his" in different sentences or
different paragraphs. This seems to be the solution of choice this year in
such "literary" venues as The New York Times Book Review. It would also
have worked well in your message with the numbered points.
2. Some writers use only the female pronoun in all circumstances, on the
grounds that the male pronoun was used exclusively for so long, it's only
fair. (This is my least favorite option; I never thought two wrongs make a
right.)
3. In some conditions the "pronoun" can be written as "s/he", which I
think is pretty neat, but a lot of other people don't.
4. If you change construction to the plural, "they" solves the problem.
In fact some folks "solve" the problem by saying "they" even with the
singular verb, but that is also grating..
> That's what we learned in English classes > anyway. :)
Ooops, Dave. You must have studied English a l-o-o-o-ng time ago -- when
the male was still considered normative... We're a pretty tolerant bunch
on this list, and permit a certain latitude, but if you try that
"he"-for-anybody-or-everybody stuff in some circles, you'll get your head
handed to you. And I guarantee that if it's in print and then quoted
later, it will get a "(sic)" put after it -- to draw attention to your
faux pas, and/or exculpate the editor.
cheers,
Judy