A new campaign is calling for letters sent to newspapers to be addressed to “They” instead of the more conventional “Sir.” The campaign, led by the Society for Gender-Neutral Language, seeks to revolutionize the way readers interact with the printed word and challenge the patriarchy one salutation at a time.
Spokesperson for the Society, Alex Taylor, remarked, “It’s high time we moved away from outdated and gendered forms of address like ‘Sir.’ Why should we assume the gender of the recipient? ‘They’ is a much more inclusive and respectful way to address someone.”
The campaign has gained momentum on social media, where supporters are sharing their own versions of letters to the editor. One tweet read, “I wrote to my local paper using ‘They’ and it felt liberating. We must break free from the shackles of gendered language.”
Critics argue that the campaign is a step too far in the pursuit of gender-neutral language. Conservative commentator Sarah Smithson tweeted, “This is political correctness gone mad. ‘Sir’ is a respectful and time-honored form of address. We should be preserving our traditions, not erasing them.”
In response to the campaign, some newspapers have begun offering readers the option to choose their preferred form of address when submitting letters. Readers can now select “Sir,” “Madam,” “They,” or even “Your Grace” if they’re feeling particularly regal.
The campaign’s success remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the battle over language and gender-neutral forms of address is far from over. In the evolving landscape of linguistic inclusivity, “They” may be just the beginning of a broader shift in how we communicate with one another.
