[mckirk]

> This can alienate the 8.3%+, and is probably one of the reasons why that percentage is that low.

That "probably" there isn't justified, in my opinion. As others in that FAQ thread have pointed out, StackOverflow isn't a place where a lot of third-person interaction is taking place, so I'd consider it a stretch to make that out as a reason that non-males are lacking there.

Maybe it's just that women often have better things to do than to ask strangers for help on why their Haskell state monad is acting up.

[ihatemondays]

StackExchange is more than StackOverflow, and StackExchange is more than just the main site. Third party pronouns are widely used in meta and chat.

[NeedMoreTea]

Meta and chat are the preserve of keen insiders.

A new user will typically arrive at SE for asking or answering specific questions. Even most of the users with accounts rarely seem to go near meta and chat.

When I was active on SE (I gave up logging in a few years ago), meta was the afterthought to bitch about some policy or detail and the annoying habits of questioners. The chat usually empty or quiet enough that even looking to see if it was active seemed mostly pointless. I'm sure it's grown since, but that's not really where new people are going.

[ihatemondays]

If you don't take part in any conversation that requires use of third party pronouns, then this change doesn't concern you, simple as that.

People are making a huge deal out of nothing.

[NeedMoreTea]

Now there I'm inclined to agree. :)

For 99% of questions and answers pronouns are irrelevant, and rarely ever seen.