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He She They It...WHO?!

You've known 'em...those who play...
THE PRONOUN GAME.
Maybe it's the guy in high school drama class who isn't yet ready to open the closet door.
Or perhaps it's the sorority member trying to be just another one of the girls.
Or it could be the suit-and-tie executive who maintains a very private existence.
I never understood why anyone would expend such energy and brainpower to live such a guarded and secretive and mysterious life. Although I never had a need to "play" the game, so whadda I know about it anyway. And maybe after living one's life this way long enough, it becomes one's norm.

Wikipedia even has an entry for "pronoun game".
The pronoun game is the phrase used to describe the attempts used by someone not to use a gender specific pronoun in describing or identifying their partner, friend, or lover to a third person. It is especially prevalent in circles where the speaker does not know how the person hearing about the other person might respond to this knowledge. Examples can be using the singular they, using phrases—such as my other half, my friend, or my significant other—or the person's name where it isn't sex or gender-specific. As well as being a "game" not to tell someone else the gender of the person about which they speak, it can also be a game by those listening to the conversation in trying to make the person give the information away.


We all play "games" with each other, at one time or another, I suppose. But in a few instances, I'd like to call timeout.

••••••••••••
From the motion picture, "Chasing Amy":

ALYSSA: For your information, they don't have big hair or wear acid wash. (goes back to painting) They're from my home town.

Dalia stares at Alyssa, suspiciously.

DALIA: Why are you playing the pronoun game?

ALYSSA: What? What are you talking about? I'm not even.

DALIA: You are. "I met someone." "We have a great time. "They're from my hometown." Doesn't this tube of wonderful have a name!

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