"...such a statistical association is, well, meaningless..."
Good point, but it's even worse than meaningless. It's stereotype-reinforcing. That particular inference, that the role in society is such-and-such, so presume that the subject is male, is to be fought at every turn.
I would much prefer the awkwardness of "he/she" when the machine is uncertain rather than some "this is just the way things are" presumption.
Good point, but it's even worse than meaningless. It's stereotype-reinforcing. That particular inference, that the role in society is such-and-such, so presume that the subject is male, is to be fought at every turn.
I would much prefer the awkwardness of "he/she" when the machine is uncertain rather than some "this is just the way things are" presumption.