They/Them Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare | Rainbow History Class | TEDxYouth@Sydney  🔗 **Source:** [They/Them Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare | Rainbow History Class | TEDxYouth@Sydney](https://youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&si=V5XUPaph0NaKpY-M) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: > - #pronouns > - #languageevolution > - #genderinclusion > Author: Hannah McElhinney & Rudy Jean Rigg > Source: TEDxYouth@Sydney – Rainbow History Class > Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw > date created: 2025-08-23 22:35 > > # Title: They/Them Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📖 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) --- ## 📝 Summary: This TEDx talk by Hannah McElhinney and Rudy Jean Rigg (Rainbow History Class) highlights the **long history of they/them pronouns**, showing they are neither new nor grammatically incorrect. From **Old Norse influences** to **medieval romance literature**, **Shakespeare’s plays**, and **feminist legal challenges**, "they" has served as a gender-neutral pronoun for centuries. The presentation critiques attempts to erase inclusive pronouns by modeling English after Latin, and argues that language evolves naturally, often as a tool for **marginalized groups seeking rights and representation**. --- ## 📖 Main Content: The speakers dismantle the myth that **they/them pronouns are modern or ungrammatical**: - English borrowed "they" from **Old Norse** to fill a gender-neutral gap. - Shakespeare used singular "they" comfortably, alongside inventing countless words. - Latin’s lack of gender-neutral pronouns heavily influenced English grammarians, leading to exclusionary rules. - Suffragettes cleverly used the generic “he” in legal texts to expose contradictions in denying women voting rights. - Pronoun debates in the 1970s paralleled feminist movements, reinforcing language as a battleground for equity. - Today’s criticisms of trans and non-binary pronoun use ignore centuries of **linguistic evolution and adaptation**. ### 🗒️ Notes - **[00:07](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=7)**: "They" borrowed from Old Norse; long history of controversy. - **[01:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=106)**: First written use in 1375 (*William and the Werewolf*). - **[02:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=148)**: Shakespeare normalized singular “they.” - **[03:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=195)**: Shakespeare’s creative word invention → language evolves to reflect identity. - **[04:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=289)**: Accepted pronoun in Shakespeare’s time; shift occurred with English grammar codification. - **[06:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=394)**: Latin gender rules created tension; satirical gender-reveal sketch illustrates absurdity. - **[08:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=495)**: Scholars imposed “he” as generic; suffragettes used this to argue for voting rights. - **[09:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=589)**: Language used historically to expand marginalized rights. - **[11:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=690)**: Second-wave feminism rejected “he” as universal; new pronouns (thon, zie) experimented with. - **[12:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw&t=721)**: Modern critiques of they/them ignore that *language is always evolving*. --- ## 📖 References: - *William and the Werewolf* (1375). - Shakespeare’s *Hamlet*. - Suffragette legal campaigns (19th century UK/US). - Second-wave feminism and linguistic reform (1970s). --- ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. Original: “The suffragettes argued that if ‘he’ was generic, laws about his right to vote should include them too.” Paraphrase: *Women activists highlighted the hypocrisy of generic masculine pronouns by demanding voting rights under the same wording.* 2. Original: “Language evolves, adapts, and mangles itself—without this, we’d all still speak Shakespearean English.” Paraphrase: *Change is intrinsic to language; resisting it would freeze us in archaic forms no longer suited for communication.* --- ## 📰 Newsletter: 🌈 **They/Them Is Older Than You Think** Forget the myth—*they/them pronouns aren’t new.* From Old Norse origins to Shakespeare’s plays, the singular “they” has been part of English for centuries. A new TEDx talk by Rainbow History Class traces pronoun drama across time: Vikings, suffragettes, and feminist language reformers all left their mark. ✨ Why it matters: Today’s debates over inclusive pronouns echo historic fights where language shaped rights. Language evolves—and always will. 📺 Watch here: [They/Them Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrxCDKQ4Eaw) --- ## ✅ Action Items: - Incorporate historical evidence into **WordPress DEIB onboarding materials**. - Highlight **linguistic inclusivity** as a contributor rights issue. - Use this narrative to align **OSPO frameworks** with accessibility and equity goals. - Create resources showcasing **language change as natural**, countering exclusionary rhetoric in open-source communities. --- ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - H1: Teaching pronoun history reduces resistance to inclusive language. - H2: Historical framing strengthens DEIB adoption in OSS communities. ### 📊 Methodology: - A/B testing: contributor orientation with vs. without pronoun history section. - Surveys measuring inclusivity perception and resistance reduction. ### ❓ Questions: - How do language debates reflect **power dynamics in open source governance**? - Can linguistic history foster empathy in polarized online communities? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Comparative study: pronoun debates across different languages/cultures. - Tracking impact of DEIB framing in contributor retention. ### 💡 Implications: - Expands inclusivity narratives in OSS. - Demonstrates that **linguistic flexibility = healthier community governance**. --- ## 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: - **Visual**: Humor sketches, reenactments = strong visual aids. - **Aural**: Spoken word, theater reading. Could add podcast/audio file. - **Verbal**: Rich storytelling. Strong verbal support. - **Kinesthetic**: Lacks interactivity; could add role-play exercises. - **Logical**: Historical cause-effect reasoning clear. - **Social**: Dialogue format fosters group engagement. - **Solitary**: Reflection prompts minimal; journaling exercises could help. - **Naturalistic**: Not present; could connect to broader cultural evolution. --- ## 📊 Accessibility Assessment: - Strong captions & transcript. - Needs alt-text for slides/visuals. - Improve: add sign language interpretation; ensure keyboard-friendly slides. --- ## 🌍 DEIB Assessment: - Strong: challenges exclusionary language history, highlights feminist and queer struggles. - Inclusive language throughout. - Improve: include global non-English pronoun histories for broader representation. --- ## ✅ Logical Validity: - **Strengths**: - Inductive reasoning: historical examples prove long use of singular “they.” - Causal reasoning: grammar codification linked to Latin influence. - Ethical reasoning: framing pronouns as human rights. - **Weaknesses**: - Reliance on humor could dilute academic rigor. - **Tone**: Conversational, humorous, activist. --- ## 🔍 DARVO Analysis: - **Deny**: None from speakers; instead, they expose denial from critics. - **Attack**: None; satirical tone targets systems, not individuals. - **Reverse Victim/Offender**: None; highlights marginalized communities as rightful victims of exclusion. --- ## 🔍 SEO Evaluation: - **Keywords**: “they/them pronouns history,” “Shakespeare pronouns,” “gender-neutral pronouns.” Present but could be optimized in headers. - **Meta**: Missing; should include “They/them pronouns date back centuries.” - **Title Tag**: Strong and keyword-rich. - **Content Length**: Long enough (~3k words). - **Internal Links**: Could connect to linguistic history resources. - **External Links**: TEDx, Shakespeare references, feminist archives needed. - **Images**: Add optimized visuals with alt-text. - **Mobile**: TEDx platform already responsive. --- ## 🎯 Conclusion: "They/them" pronouns are not a modern invention—they are embedded in English history, from Norse origins and medieval literature to Shakespeare and suffragette activism. The TEDx talk reclaims this history against contemporary backlash, showing that **language evolves to reflect inclusion and justice**. For open-source communities, this talk offers lessons on **embracing linguistic and cultural diversity as part of sustainable governance**. <!-- deep-read:sections end --> 📄 **Full text:** ![[Full Document Contents/Articles/TheyThem Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare Rainbow History Class TEDxYouth@Sydney|They/Them Pronouns Predate Pride...And Shakespeare | Rainbow History Class | TEDxYouth@Sydney, TEDx Talks]] ## Highlights - Music] thank you how did one of the most ubiquitous words of the English language come to be so controversial they them is such an absurd concept how can you be a plural it is really Sinister mainstream Publications completely mangled English ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01k3cxg53nt3h2h9mr023h69jb))