Bug#263084: Please change sexist language in debian (English) webpages

[Tobias Toedter <t.toedter@gmx.net>]

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On Wednesday 04 August 2004 00:59, Matt Kraai wrote:
> I've fixed the incorrect usages in the pages you listed (except
> for one in a DPL candidate's platform).  It would be helpful if
> someone checked the rest of the site.

First of all, thank you for this effort. However, English is not my first 
language, that's why I wonder if it's common to use "they", "them", and 
"their" when referring to a single person. At least in German this would be 
highly unusual (to say the least; I'd rather consider this a mistake). Take 
this sentence for example (from vote/howto_proposal.wml):

   "This is to prevent the Project Secretary from missing a proposal in the
    huge volumes of mail generated on some of our lists and to prevent them
    from having to subscribe to each and every list created by the Project."

The Project Secretary is just one person, not a group. Is it still correct 
to use "them"? I'm sorry to bother you with this, it's just that I've never 
seen or heard such sentences.

Cheers,

- -- 

Tobias

    AMAZING BUT TRUE...
      If you took all the veins from your body and laid them together
      end to end, you'd die.
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