In college, I learned about the brouhaha over the use of the word "man" and the pronoun "he" when referring to a generality, such as "Man does not live by meat and drink alone." Some consider this usage to be sexist, excluding women. They would have us write, "Man or woman does not live by meat and drink alone. He or she requires spiritual sustenance as well to satisfy his or her needs." Awkward.
I always use "he" rather than the "he or she." Likewise I prefer to write "man," rather than "man or woman." To me, it is clear that "he" can be used in the sense of a human being of either gender. That's what I was taught in school, and there are writers who still agree with me.
Some writers in the mainstream media avoid the dilemma altogether by avoiding generalities or avoiding the use of a pronoun at all costs. There are other creative solutions I've seen, such as using "a person" in place of "man or woman." The trouble with using "human" is that it has a science fiction flavor, implying an alien making an observation on our species.
I once corresponded with a woman who used a pronoun such as "ke," to indicate a person of either or neither gender. I think that's a good idea, if it ever were to catch on. I don't wish to slight either gender. I just want efficient use of language.
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