A Pronounced Change

I am a Thomas. I am the son of a Thomas, who was the son of a Thomas. It caused a dilemma when our first son was born.  Growing up I was known as Tommy.  I was determined my son would not go through his grade school years bearing that name.  The solution: both of our sons have Thomas as their middle name.  We also gave our children names that intentionally could not be shortened.  Katie is Katie, not Kathryn.  I guess there are some folks who call our oldest son Pete, but no one in the family would think of that.  I try to be respectful of other people’s names.  I want to make sure it is pronounced correctly.  I my case, there is another reason.  Thomas is my “Jesus” name.  It was the name given me at Baptism.  It is what Jesus will call me when we finally meet face to face.

I know there are times people use a pronoun in referencing me.  He (Tom) did this or I heard him (Tom) say that.  I did spend a couple of years teaching grammar, so I know that in certain instances it is okay to use a pronoun.  There are gender appropriate pronouns, “he” and “She” as an example.  There also gender-neutral pronouns like “they” and “them.”  Traditionally gender-neutral pronouns were plural, referencing more than one individual.

 

Now I understand there is a change in the wind.  According to a new Pew Research survey, about one-in-five (18%) U.S. adults know someone who uses gender-neutral pronoun.  Granted, over four in ten (42%) do not know someone and another 39% are clueless, having heard nothing at all about gender neutral pronouns.  Not surprisingly, the use of gender-neutral pronouns is most common among young adults age 18-29.  Seventy-three percent (73%) of young adults have heard “a lot” (36%) or “a little” (37%) about people using gender-neutral pronouns.  The awareness of gender-neutral pronouns greatly diminishes by age with only a little more than one in ten (11%) hearing “a lot” and 35% a little about gender-neutral pronouns. 

I guess I could have anticipated this change.  Our moral compass has gradually changed directions over the last two decades.  In the minds of some the lines between male and female have become blurred.  Still, it does not change my perspective as a Christian.  God is still the creator and the one who sustains of all things.  He created us male and female.  He is the one who wants to call us by our name.  The Trinity might be three distinct persons but He is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords.