Last I checked “THEM” is plural. Maybe it is one person with several split personalities? Or is it a case of being all-inclusive with the effing pronouns?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – One person is in custody after shooting themselves in the baggage claim area of Nashville International Airport.
According to a statement from Nashville BNA, on Sunday morning just after 7 a.m., an individual entered the baggage claim area of the airport with a firearm threatening to harm themselves.
The individual then discharged the firearm and injured themselves in the process. According to Nashville BNA, that person is now in custody and is receiving medical treatment. No other major injuries were reported during the time of the incident.
The shooting remains under investigation. No other information was immediately released.
1 injured after shooting self in baggage claim at Nashville BNA (wkrn.com)
“…shooting themselves in the baggage claim area…”
I admit, it has been several years since I took an anatomy class, but even after half a century in the sick people business, I am unfamiliar with “the baggage claim area”. Is that like “the chest area”, or perhaps another euphemism for ones generative organs?
@Reltney McFee: Well…if you’re a male homosexual, I can imagine a baggage claim area… ? (Sorry)
I hate when I get shot in the “baggage claim area.”
I don’t think the writer of the article was taking in to account gender pronouns as much as trying to keep the information vague, or going off of what little information they had.
To be honest, I was expecting the event to have been with a passenger who had retrieved a handgun from a checked bag.
My initial thoughts exactly
an individual entered the baggage claim area of the airport with a firearm threatening to harm themselves.
–
They threatened to harm themselves and THEY SUCCEEDED!
Shot himself in the baggage area…is that sort of like “he shot himself in his junk”??
Them and they are and have been acceptable gender neutral singular pronouns ONLY when the gender of the person is unknown or in the abstract.
E.g.:
“I saw a new dentist today.”
“Were they nice?”
I steadfastly refuse to use they/them as a singular for a known individual. E.g. “My pronouns are they/them.”
In this case, they want to keep the gender obscure to protect the identity of the victim. This is grammatically correct.
Probably broke a nail.