[Ads-l] Gender-neutral pronouns was :Mx to be sanctified by the OED

[Amy West]

On 5/8/15 12:00 AM, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> Date:    Thu, 7 May 2015 16:21:33 +0000
> From:    Joel Berson<berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject: Mx to be sanctified by the OED
>
> According to the Sydney Morning Herald, as reported by Stuff of NZ (complete article):
>
> -----
> The Oxford English Dictionary will consider including the gender neutral title "Mx" in the next edition, to represent transgender people and those who don't identify by gender.
>
> The gender neutral honorific pronounced mux, will be an alternative to the traditional Miss, Mrs, Ms and Mr.
>
> The pronoun 'hen' was recently added to the official Swedish language dictionary as an alternative to the male 'han' and the female 'hon.'
>
> Up until now, those who do not identify as gender specific have had no gender neutral title to choose from.
>
> Assistant editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, Jonathan Dent, told the Sunday Times the gender neutral title will be considered for inclusion in the dictionary's next edition.
>
> Mr Dent said it would be the first stable of honorifics to be accepted in recent history.
>
> The OED adds new words each year based on the popularity of their use.
>
> Last year, 'vape' – meaning to inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette – was added. In 2013, the OED revealed 'selfie' as its word of the year.
> -----
>
> http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/68340425/gender-neutral-mx-may-be-added-to-oxford-english-dictionary
>
> I don't think mux of the pronunciation.  (If Mx can be applied to transgender people, a better pronunciation would be "mix".)
>
> ? What does "stable" mean?  And if he used it, I think Mr. Dent needs to add his meaning to the OED.
>
>
> Another article is at:
>
> http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/oxford-english-dictionary-soon-include-gender-neutral-title-mx/
> (Among other things, this one allows "mix" as a pronunciation, and doesn't use the word "stable.)
>
> Joel
In January I was at Arisia, a Boston fan-run SF con and they had pronoun 
ribbons for attendees/members to wear attached to their badges: In 
addition to the male/female singular (he/him/his; she/her/hers) and 
plural options (they/them/theirs) there were:

xe/xem/xyrs
ey/em/eirs
ze/zir/zirs

---Amy West

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