To say the least, I am really, really late to this party. Indeed, this is a party that probably most people don’t know is occurring. But a lot do. The dance floor is filled with employees of Microsoft, Apple and many Fortune 500 companies and the academic and enlightened political community are drinking Cosmos and toasting each other with flutes of champagne.

What party are you talking about? Not really a party but a way of thinking, pretty much followed by certain elites. The other day I received an email from the very bright and accomplished female leader of a project on which I am working. At the end of her signature, she indicated her “pronouns” being she/her/hers. Being a product of a time when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, I said to myself “of course” but why, in the Lord’s name, did she have to say that?

As it turns out, this is becoming a standard feature in business. Your choices are the following: “he/his/his” or “she/her/hers” or “they/them/theirs.” Apparently, the important thing is that you end your signature or identity yourself on the phone with your pronouns.

So how did this come about? Apparently, it all relates to the attempt to make “non-binary” and transgender people comfortable. According to an LGBT website (https://lgbtlifecenter.org/) for “queer, gender non-conforming, non-binary and transgender individuals, the use of improper pronouns can lead to anxiety and stress.” According to this website, a recent study confirmed that the use of proper pronouns can reduce depression and the risk of suicide for transgender teenagers. Whatever the problems for transgender teenagers, there is surely no similar problem for the Caitlyn Jenners of the world.

I suppose the reasons for me not understanding the whole business of pronouns are several, one being that I have not had full-time employment since the end of 2015 and another being that I really have no need to see every new shiny nickel, since most of them will be tarnished by the end of the month.

It seems that the they/them/theirs pronouns are used by non-binary people and transgender individuals prefer their new pronouns (he becomes a she and she becomes a he). All of the gay people I know are quite happy with their gender pronouns. Indeed, gay marriage partners refer to their male spouse as their husband and their female spouse as their wife.

Imagine the confusion when someone asks about your conversation with a non-binary individual and you say: “I spoke to them.” The listener then asks what individuals were involved in the conversation and you reply: “It was only them.” The listener then says: “I know that but who were they?” Then exasperated, you say: “I told you once and I will tell you again, it was them.”

This reminds me of the old Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on First,” which for those who have not heard it, is surely worth a listen. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTcRRaXV-fg).

The newest shiny nickel appears to be the term “non-binary.” The Boston Marathon just announced that in 2023 there would be a category for non-binary people to run in the race. I will lay a bet that the winner of this non-binary race will be a “male” non-binary individual because testosterone will ultimately determine the winner.

Last week there was an article in the Baltimore paper which indicated that, in a Montgomery County (Maryland) high school, 45% of the students indicated that they were “non-binary.” Given the raging hormones of teenagers, I found that conclusion not credible. Could it be that the teacher talking to the students and taking the count was a “non-binary” individual seeking to identify like individuals?

This whole business of pronouns strikes me as Alice going down the rabbit hole. I assume that non-binary and transgender individuals have a need for their pronouns. If that is the case, they should declare and use their pronouns and everyone else can simply acknowledge. One doesn’t have to be locked into the Adam and Eve narrative to realize that this requiring everyone to declare their pronouns is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.

What is truly amazing is that several important American groups actually think this is not only “enlightened” but, indeed, required. They snicker at the Philistine rabble which doesn’t “get it” but, as usual, continues its discriminatory behavior.

Actually, we do get it. This is pretty much nonsense of the first order.

We also get that elites have a need to feel superior even when they’re not.