Grammar Girl: Because smart girls are sexy

Veronica — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:14:47 +0000

Being the relentless grammarian that I am, I have to give props to Bitch Magazine’s most recent Bitch List (Spring 2009) for guiding my nerdy attention over to Grammar Girl. If you haven’t already visited this site, tuned into Mignon Fogarty’s podcasts, and read the accompanying comments, you are sadly missing out on an array of juicy grammar topics that are discussed and debated.

Having been a nerd all of my life (my nickname in elementary school was “Brainer”—and, no, the kids didn’t use it in a complimentary fashion), I feel somewhat triumphant in witnessing and celebrating other smart girls’ accomplishments. Hence my being absolutely thrilled to read about Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls at the Party; her project makes young girls realize that being a brainy feminist is fun and worth talking about. And guess what, kids? Smart girls end up being successful, too! (Ka-ching!)

As we usher out the era of dumb blonde jokes and insulting, sexist beer ads (I think they’re mostly gone now, aren’t they?), let’s welcome an era in which intelligent, grammar-wielding women are associated with cool, fun, and (for us grown-ups) sexy. I mean, what else am I going to do with all of my smarts if not occasionally use them to make my admirers just a little bit weak in the knees?

Oh, and by the way, contrary to the old adage about blondes, I can attest that hair colour’s got nothing to do with it: it’s the smart girls who have more fun.

He said, She said, Ze said

Veronica — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:31:57 +0000

With this past Tuesday being Trans Visibility Day, I started thinking about pronouns, specifically those of the gendered variety. Given the strides feminists have made over the last century, coupled with the increased visibility of trans people in our world, why the heck has no one figured out what we’re supposed to do about those pesky gender pronouns and the problems they cause within the English language? I’m not a language expert, but from what I found on Wikipedia, there are other languages that don’t have gender pronouns at all. And yet English, language of the colonizer, can’t seem to budge an inch. (What a frickin’ surprise.)

I know what I do when I’m trying to avoid using “he” or “she” (or the dreaded “he/she” or “his/her” mess): I use the third person plural (they, them, or their) and hope to god that no one notices. (I mean, I’m an editor and an English teacher. I’m not allowed to make mistakes.)

As I visited Kate Bornstein’s website a couple of days ago, I was reminded of the gender-neutral pronouns—ze and hir—that are sometimes used within transsexual and transgendered circles. Despite ze and hir being presented as viable alternatives to gender pronouns, they never really did catch on, not even in the trans community.

And this leaves me wondering why? Why, even within a community of people who transgress the gender binary, are traditional, gendered pronouns still so prominent? What is it about those pronouns that keeps us so loyal to them? Or, more importantly, what is it about gender that makes most of us feel compelled to pledge allegiance to only one of two camps?

I’m sure everyone would be a lot happier if we could all finally agree that “they,” “them,” and “their” can suitably be used when gender neutrality is needed. I say we start a new movement. ’Cause, honey, my version of the revolution is un-sexist, un-gendered, and uncomplicated.

Confabulous » grammar

Grammar Girl: Because smart girls are sexy

He said, She said, Ze said