Pamela, as we are at the front edge of the “they” singular usage in storytelling, you raise a good…
With my university students, they just use ‘they’ without any special identifications. I have to say, they are pretty much used to it. We…
Pamela, as we are at the front edge of the “they” singular usage in storytelling, you raise a good question. Check out this Wikipedia page for more background. Surprised to learn that the singular ‘they’ has been around for several decades.
With my university students, they just use ‘they’ without any special identifications. I have to say, they are pretty much used to it. We do table reads in class, nobody hesitates, blinks an eye, or is confused.
That said, DePaul University where I teach is a wonderfully progressive, inclusive community, so we may be ahead of the curve re personal pronouns.
I suggest trying *without* the italics as that may become tiresome for a script reader and actually draw attention to the issue page after page, when you want to entice the reader into the story and not get distracted by cultural concerns.