re: #49 CleverToad

I accept the need for singular ‘they.’

You even already use the singular they (see my comment above), anytime you are unaware of the gender of the individual to which you are referring. (Note the disagreement of subject-verb tense here, as well.)

You just aren’t used to using it in this specific situation. It is a change in usage, and changes to our native language tend to make us uncomfortable. This is pretty normal.

But I think it’s incorrect to fall back on the idea that it’s because we are violating some “rule”, if that makes any sense.