Thread:GodKingReiss/@comment-31622157-20170329194944

It looks like I can't reply to the original thread so I guess I'll reply in a new one sorry.

There's no real relevance in your theoretical idea of removing all pronouns from an article to be quite frank. First, is that it is entirely possible to do so and it still having structure that is grammatically correct. It's done with nouns or titles such as "the scientist, "researcher," "Commander," "Former Squad Leader," and then, of course, using the character's name. If it's executed poorly it could become repetitive but it's not that great a feat to pull off. The effort would be worthwhile to keep true to Isayama's intentions for how Hange is open to interpretation.

The main reason that the idea of omitting any pronouns isn't a very good rational, anyway, is that they/them/their is not only used by non-binary people but also in 'situations where a gender is not known. A shadowy figure in the distance, an intruder rummaging through drawers in another room, an unexpected visitor at your door, a school mascot or a fursuiter, the owner of a phone you've just found, etc. All of these situations where you don't know who the person is, let alone what gender they are. If you want to refer to the person and have no assumption, then in those cases one uses 'they/them/their.' Because as a pronoun it can refer to multiple people or to a subject with an indeterminable gender. ( Source 1 ) "If somebody lost their child, please head to the front of the store." Somebody could ask you, "Who's at the door," and you might reply, "I'm pretty sure it's a tax collector. I just wish they'd go away already." Or perhaps with the found phone, "I don't know whose phone this is but they're probably really missing it by now. I wonder if I can find a friend of theirs in here who could return it."

I understand I was wrong trying to say Hanji is canonically non-binary so I see your point with mentioning that rather it is open for the audience to decide independently. What the anime did does not change what was intended though and keep in mind it is adapted from the manga which very purposefully doesn't refer to Hange with gendered words even to the point that Kondasha made sure to remove in the already published translation of volume 5 the moments that used pronouns for Hange for the reprints. ( Source 2 ) Additionally, they were not told that to omit pronouns was the only option. They also could have used pronouns only if they were used in equal amounts. ( Source 3 ) What I was getting at about they/them/their and it' usage being for those with undetermined gender, is that it is not like he, which is strictly masculine, she being strictly feminine, and it's not like xi or ze which are strictly non-binary pronouns. By using they/them/their, you are not using a definitive gender like you are currently with she/her/hers because which it may be used by non-binary/agender people it is not used only for non-binary. 