What's the modern way to handle gender in tech writing?

Back in my day, I was taught to use masculine pronouns.

The user chooses a password, and then he types it in the text box.

I'm fine with that. but a male coworker insists on using he/she, which I find needlessly distracting and complicated.

I hate using they and their. I find that too convoluted, and not nearly clear enough when you want to talk about one person doing one thing.

I like "you" but you can't always get away with that. Sometimes you're telling someone about what his users can do.

Interspersing "he" for some things with "she" for others is also distracting, but maybe the closest thing to "fair" that I can come up with.

What is the current thought on this? What's the most acceptable way to go?

(Frankly, I wish I could get away with "it." As in "it puts the lotion on its skin." Creepy, right?)

Answer

A few additional options:

• Introduce a named person (perhaps fictional), and use that person's name. "Terry wants to create an account. She chooses a password and types it into the text box. No, wait, Terry is a man. I think. Damn, that's a lousy example. Pat wants to create an account. Um, I mean Chris. No, wait. Maybe Dale. Er..."


• Use the imperative mood, with an implied you (as I'm doing in most of these examples). "Choose a password and type it into the text box."


• Drop the pronoun whenever you can: "The user chooses a password and types it into the text box." This can make the remaining pronouns less troublesome. In some cases you'll have to recast the sentence to make this work.



• Use passive voice, and don't refer to the actor at all. Yeah, I know you've been warned against this. But sometimes it can be used with good effect, in a natural-sounding way. (Heh.)

[Edited to add:]

Here are some additional tips from Val Drummond's Elements of Nonsexist Usage. Chapter 4 is all about pronouns.

• Make the subject plural. Then use plural pronouns.


• Replace gender-specific possessive pronouns with "the." Instead of "When the user types his password..." try "When the user types the password."


• Use the word "one." I personally hate this. It usually reads like a desperate attempt to claim objectivity, or add plausible deniability ("Oh... I meant people in general should pick up their socks, not you specifically, sweetie"), or some other such nonsense. Not that I have an attitude about this, mind one.