Gender-Neutral Pronoun Check

This rule identifies and flags problematic attempts to create gender-neutral pronouns using slashes or parentheses. The rule aims to promote inclusive writing by discouraging outdated or awkward gender-neutral pronoun constructions that can make text less readable and less inclusive.

Using constructions like "he/she" or "s/he" is now considered poor practice in technical and professional writing, as they can be exclusionary and create unnecessary complexity. Instead, writers should use truly gender-neutral alternatives like "they/them" or rewrite sentences to avoid the need for gendered pronouns altogether.

Examples:

• ❌ "The user should enter his/her password"
• ❌ "S/he must click the button"
• ❌ "(s)he will receive a confirmation email"

These should be rewritten using inclusive alternatives like:

• ✅ "Users should enter their passwords"
• ✅ "They must click the button"
• ✅ "The person will receive a confirmation email"