The faddish personal pronoun obsession is reaching new heights of absurdity. One political campaign’s current DEI-inspired employment application lists nine choices for selection, including xe/xem, ze/hir, ey/em, fae/faer and hu/hu. What? It further suggests individual customization or simply being addressed by given name. Is this the hallmark of a modern, respectful and progressive society? Personally, I’m going to recognize an unfamiliar human being based on what I see. If it’s clothed in a skirt, has waist-length hair and walks in high heels, it’s a female she/her; if it has a beard, deep voice and wears boots, that’s a male he/him by my reckoning. If this predilection precludes any civil and constructive conversation, that’s just too bad. Have we reached a stage at which people’s self-satisfaction depends on wearing name placards stating the preferred pronoun? How are we supposed to remember them for future interaction? Are there too many confusing names now associated with either sex (e.g., Alex, Blair, Dale, Devon, Emery, Kelly, Lee, Pat, Robin and so on)? Phil Osifer