Joan Walsh finds it 'jarring' to hear Democratic politicians use 'he'

Brett T. | 10:39 PM on January 25, 2016

Bernie Sanders was first up at Monday night’s #DemTownHall, and considering that Joan Walsh admits to finding it “jarring” to hear a Democratic politician rely on the generic male pronoun “he,” the entire event must have been a bumpy ride. The truth is, there are plenty of gender-neutral pronouns out there, but no one seems to have decided which set to use. The xe family seems to have the largest following in the United States, and we’d be thrilled for Democratic politicians to start using it their speeches.

We have made so much progress that hearing a Democratic politician only use the generic male pronoun is actually jarring…

— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) January 26, 2016

@joanwalsh your Hillary shilling is showing #DemTownHall

— Marilyn Kaplan (@MarilynKaplan1) January 26, 2016

@MarilynKaplan1 Thanks, Marilyn. I guess it doesn't bother you. That's cool.

— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) January 26, 2016

https://twitter.com/nickdimorohere/status/691808983376596994

@willyjhopuky @joanwalsh NO, I disagree. Perhaps jarring to at least the larger half of the population?

— canadiansonthebeach (@vancouverboomer) January 26, 2016

@nickdimorohere @joanwalsh and a little too paternalistic – but hey- he's an old white guy, what to expect? Progressiveness? Nah.

— Uillecc MacUillicc (@UilleccDubh) January 26, 2016

Old white person. (Vox announced last year that the sexist word “guy” had to go.)