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Comment by _yb2s | Hacker News Reader

I have found ways to almost always write and talk with gender neutral pronouns, without sounding too weird. After working with colleagues that use gender neutral pronouns, I find myself being careful not to assume any gender specific pronouns, which means in most cases just not using them.

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As an Australian, we seemed to develop a culture of calling everyone 'mate' regardless of gender etc. Helps since I can't ever remember a persons name, even after they've said it directly to my face.

I've got no issue with people wanting to use different pronouns, though usually I try to keep it neutral in conversation anyway. "They/their" is extremely easy to use without much thought.

Actually, also as an Australian:

Australia is a country where you call your mates "cunt" and call cunts "mate".

Truly and thoroughly upside-down.

Actually, also as an Australian:

I'm pretty sure this is one of those things that's true in the Northern half* of the country that people think applies everywhere, like crocodiles and jellyfish that kill you. I've lived in SA and Vic all my life and all my friends would just be insulted if I called them cunt instead of mate.

* "Northern Half" of course meaning above the Barassi Line and probably adding the NT, not the real geographic north.

Depends on the circles of friends really. But yeah that one definitely isn't a country-wide rule if you plan to keep all your teeth

Yeah, is there really interesting distinction. I was educated in a very conservative part of the country and they/them was the default Standard English practice. It wasn't about gender but it was about familiarity.

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