Early voting has started here in Maryland. As a result the news is full of stories concerning the vote, who can vote, where you can vote, and what is on the ballot. One country, one I don’t live in, has question ‘A” on their ballot. I’m just shaking my head, somewhat incredulous that it is there. This questions concerns changing the wording in the county charter. Should the charter be changed to reflect they/them in place of he/she. Yes, that’s a big concern in that county.

With everything else that is happening in that county and indeed in the state, that is a concern? The charter needs to be revised to substitute wording to they/them because it should be inclusive? Well, I’m not a English major, no Daniel Webster, but I can certainly speak the English language. I understand completely what is meant when we say they/them. We are referring to more than one individual. They/them may be a mixture of genders, well one of two genders to be precise. He/she defines the gender of the individual as you perceive them to be.

If I see a man in a dress, wearing heels and makeup, I would say, why is he wearing a dress and heels? I may even openly state I think he may be gay! I do not recognize this “trans” stuff, all of it is “queer” as far as I’m concerned. Queer meaning something different, unexpected or not the norm. Yeah, it’s queer. The alphabet people even added that on the end of their list. Not certain what they mean by that, does it mean they/them doesn’t fit any of the other categories?

Now, if I were one of those folks, a man believing myself to have somehow transitioned into becoming a woman, why wouldn’t I want to be called she? Isn’t that the point in that change? I don’t know but they/them seems a bit odd, a queer choice. Of course, it is better than being called one of “those” people. That’s offensive isn’t it, when someone calls you, one of “those people.” Yeah, language is funny that way sometimes.

So they/them applies to more than one individual. But he/she refers to individuals. I’m confused when an individual wants to referred to as they/them. Are they more than one person? Multiple personality disorder is a mental illness. No matter what you believe, feel like, or where “assigned”, you are always just one person, either he or she. There really is no other choice.

The county is concerned that the language is incorrect. They/them should be inserted to refer to everyone is every situation. He/she is too exclusive. You can’t know what someone else is! And he should be able to do whatever she can do. Of course, in the real world that isn’t the case, but we aren’t talking about the real world here, are we? No, we’re talking about identity politics!

According to AI: Contemporary advocates often use an intersectional approach, recognizing that multiple identities (e.g., race + gender + sexuality) shape experiences of oppression. Yes contemporary advocates believe that gender and sexuality are different things entirely. Gives a new meaning to “Man, I feel like a woman” They /them aren’t sure what they feel, but they/them like it. It’s because of those “multiple identities.”

Well, maybe I can clear that up. You see, you don’t really get to identify yourself. That’s not how it works in the real world. You are identified by others as they perceive you to be. It doesn’t matter how you feel about that. It’s like when I’m on Facebook and someone calls me a boomer, an old man that knows nothing and I’m ugly to boot.

It’s their perception, it’s how they, meaning either he or she and possibly more than one of them, perceive me. I don’t get upset, I just smile and laugh. They/them, “those people,” in reality are just individuals. And every one of they/them is either male or female. It’s just a fact of life. They should just get over it.