Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal may have garnered mixed reactions for his views on gender pronouns, but he has also criticized the “pronoun disease”, “political ideology”, “corporate culture” and gender pronouns. As the use of “they/them” for people without gender is debated, progressive efforts are being made by people who identify only as male or female, or who do not wish to reveal their gender identity beyond transgender. , challenges to technology, grammatical rules, and even nuances of criticism such as “copying” belie. ' West.
On May 6, Mr. Agarwal criticized LinkedIn after Mr. X deleted a post in which he criticized non-binary pronouns and called them a “sickness.”
Sharing a screenshot of a chat with an AI bot on LinkedIn where “they/them” pronouns were used, he wrote to X: “I hope this 'pronoun disease' does not reach India.”
“Many 'metropolitan schools' in India now teach it to their children. We also see a lot of resumes containing pronouns these days. Where do you draw the line when blindly following the West?” “We need to know what to do,” he added.
While many social media users accused Mr. Agarwal of “homophobia” and argued that his comments went a bit too far and that respecting gender pronouns is a basic act of civility, not a disease, others Several people also agreed with Mr. Agarwal's suspicion that he had “misgendered” her. “Inclusion and diversity are good things, but they can't just be imported from the West.”
Rohin Bhatt, a non-binary queer rights activist and lawyer, called Agarwal's comments “homophobic and transphobic.” “We talk about imitating the West, but we still say that we have always had respect for everyone. But if there is respect for everyone, why change people's identities and their pronouns?” Why not respect it? I don't think it has to be an Eastern or Western concept the moment you choose it,” he added.
courtship sensitivity
This development comes at a time when the Indian judiciary has been systematically introducing sensitivity to the gender spectrum through several initiatives. Based on Mr. Bhatt's letter to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court of India two years ago.
Last year, the Supreme Court also created a new handbook to combat gender stereotypes. “Born as a girl/boy” instead of “assigned female/male”; “hermaphrodite” instead of “intersex”; “transsexual” instead of “transgender”; “crossdresser” instead of “assigned female/male”; There were suggestions for alternative language such as “person”. Especially instead of “transvestite”.
For one thing, the SC broke the stereotype that transgender people cannot be raped and even explained that it is wrong to think that all transgender people are sex workers who always consent to sexual relations. She added that they are in fact one of the most vulnerable groups to sexual violence, as they are stigmatized and face structural discrimination.
Most recently, the SC chose to use the term “pregnant person” in its judgments, recognizing that in addition to cisgender women, some non-binary people may also experience pregnancy. A footnote explains that it is used to people, transgender men, and other gender identities.
The SC also recently issued guidelines to the High Court on Habeas Corpus and Protection Petitions stating that “sexual orientation and gender identity fall within the core of a person's privacy and are a matter of self-identification.”
The court also emphasized that no stigma or moral judgment should be imposed when dealing with cases involving members of the LGBTQ+ community, and cautioned against “derogatory” comments. It also called on courts to “take swift action against homophobic, transphobic, and other derogatory acts and comments by detainees, court staff, and lawyers.”
“I think so [the SC order] It forced the high court to eschew personal, religious and social morality over constitutional morality,” Bhatt said.
singular pronoun
“They” is commonly used as a singular pronoun when personal details are unknown, but is also preferred by people who identify as non-binary or genderqueer. Proponents of gender pronouns argue that pronouns are personal, and that while people who identify as non-binary can only use they/them pronouns, people who identify as non-binary can use only they/them pronouns, while people who identify as non-binary can use both gender pronouns and It explains that some people use both gender-neutral pronouns. Gender-fluid people may choose multiple pronouns to accurately describe themselves at different times.
A recent study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, led by Jennifer E. Arnold, professor of psychology and neuroscience, said people are using the pronouns “they/them” more often. According to the report, it is often used by individuals who identify as gender nonbinary or gender queer, and dramatically disrupts both the English language processing system and mainstream notions of what gender is. That may change.
“Over the past decade, people have started using 'they' as a personal pronoun, often because they identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming,” said Arnold, who is based in the UK. This was reported to the science and technology organization Phys.org.
artificial intelligence
Gender pronouns, especially “they/them,” are also embroiled in controversy. Last month, anchor Julia Hartley-Brewer sparked a row with Indian-origin journalist Shivani Dave after she refused to share pronouns. Dave had requested the use of the nonbinary pronoun “they/them.” The TV anchor instead said she was using “correct grammar” and she used the pronoun “she.”
Last year, in response to research showing that job seekers who include “they/them” pronouns on their resumes often face a disadvantage in the hiring process, Company X owner Elon Musk said: .