FindMyPast has decided I'm a "Nibling" !!!

[Mike in Cumbria]

But get a pronoun wrong, and they instantly become a heaving, steaming, incandescent ball of self-righteous indignation! 

I think this is something that happens in theory, on the internet, rather than actually happening in real life. How many people here have actually come across this "heaving, steaming, incandescent ball of self-righteous indignation".
Most people, whether straight, gay, bi, trans or non-binary just get on with their lives.

[DiGi]

I'm happy to be an "it" but my preferred pronouns are "idgat" and "idgaf".  Itgat is "I don't give a toss" and idgaf is ... something similar.

[Jebber]

I think the world is going mad with all these different pronouns. When I am confronted with a form with boxes asking such questions it really annoys me. I have been known to write something silly, such as, I have no idea, you tell me or Earthling or Martian. They can make of that what they like.

[Rena]

I think the world is going mad with all these different pronouns. When I am confronted with a form with boxes asking such questions it really annoys me. I have been known to write something silly, such as, I have no idea, you tell me or Earthling or Martian. They can make of that what they like.

At the start of this century my youngest son had finished his uni. course and was looking around for a job.   He applied for one position and found he had to download, fill in and send via snail mail,  a seventeen page questionnaire,  which included such questions as "are you a lesbian/homosexual"  and are you "British Caribbean, British Asian, etc., etc., etc.   
Knowing that the then government were keen to even up the  male/female roles in commerce I suspected that white males would probably be at the tail end of any offers of a job. 

[Wexflyer]

I think the world is going mad with all these different pronouns. When I am confronted with a form with boxes asking such questions it really annoys me. I have been known to write something silly, such as, I have no idea, you tell me or Earthling or Martian. They can make of that what they like.

At the start of this century my youngest son had finished his uni. course and was looking around for a job.   He applied for one position and found he had to download, fill in and send via snail mail,  a seventeen page questionnaire,  which included such questions as "are you a lesbian/homosexual"  and are you "British Caribbean, British Asian, etc., etc., etc.   
Knowing that the then government were keen to even up the  male/female roles in commerce I suspected that white males would probably be at the tail end of any offers of a job.

The way to deal with this is to always tick "Other", and then enter "American", or "depends on the day"

[martin hooper]

I was brought up on Fowlers Modern English Usage. Every single day I read and hear examples of poor use of English. Mainly from politicians, journalists, and so called celebrities. Most of whom I've never heard of.

I don't agree with the point of view that if you managed to convey the message that you intended, then it doesn't matter what words you chose.


Martin

[Mike in Cumbria]

At the start of this century my youngest son had finished his uni. course and was looking around for a job.   He applied for one position and found he had to download, fill in and send via snail mail,  a seventeen page questionnaire,  which included such questions as "are you a lesbian/homosexual"  and are you "British Caribbean, British Asian, etc., etc., etc.   
Knowing that the then government were keen to even up the  male/female roles in commerce I suspected that white males would probably be at the tail end of any offers of a job.

The sections on gender, ethnicity etc are separated from the application form and used by HR for statistical purposes. That way, they can check on whether the institution is showing (intentional or unintentional) bias in favour of, or against certain groups. I can't see that as a negative.
Rest assured that, as a white male, your son is not in a group that has any fear of under-representation or discrimination.

[Erato]

It's amazing how alert to 'discrimination' white, Christian males have become.  As long as they got an automatic ten bonus points for their race, ten for their sex and ten for their religion they were satisfied that the playing field was fair and level.  But it's only five bonus points now and they feel aggrieved.

[Rena]

At the start of this century my youngest son had finished his uni. course and was looking around for a job.   He applied for one position and found he had to download, fill in and send via snail mail,  a seventeen page questionnaire,  which included such questions as "are you a lesbian/homosexual"  and are you "British Caribbean, British Asian, etc., etc., etc.   
Knowing that the then government were keen to even up the  male/female roles in commerce I suspected that white males would probably be at the tail end of any offers of a job.

The sections on gender, ethnicity etc are separated from the application form and used by HR for statistical purposes. That way, they can check on whether the institution is showing (intentional or unintentional) bias in favour of, or against certain groups. I can't see that as a negative.
Rest assured that, as a white male, your son is not in a group that has any fear of under-representation or discrimination.

If I told you that the first part of the advert instructed applicants not to send details of their education, what would you say?   I thought it strange and I guessed that the authority were going through the motions of advertising the posts, when in fact, they already had one of their current employees lined up for the position.

This was the era when employers had to publicise all vacancies to the outside world.   Up to that point employees of large companies knew when their employers were taking on new employees , thus the applicants would be offspring or other kith and kin to an existing employee.