Hoarding disorder spreads beyond household
I would love to learn your rationale for switching to the use of "they."
-- A Finger Lakes Fan
Dear Fan: Even though you say you prefer a singular gender pronoun, you don't make mention of your own gender, so instead of assigning a gender to you or supplying "she/he," I would also refer to you using the epicene "they" in my answer.
If people refer to their own gender, I don't use "they," but use the gender pronoun they supply.
This use of the plural "they" referring to single individuals is new-ish (for me), but it is standard. I trust you'll get used to it.
Dear Amy: "Waiting to Reunite in NJ" described trying to reunite with an alcoholic parent. Your description of having "awkward highway exit diner lunches where nobody really knows what to say" brought tears to my eyes.
How/why did you land on this particular imagery?
-- Reader
Dear Reader: I've been there, done that, and eaten the patty melt.
========
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
