To the Editor:

Re “The Politics of Pronouns, Quaker Style,” by Teresa M. Bejan (Sunday Review, Nov. 17), which links today’s debate over pronouns to the Quakers’ use of “thee” and “thou” as an egalitarian gesture:

The queer quest for pronoun usage is about self-determination, the ability to choose how one is referred to, which is foundationally a request for equality, for the ability to name oneself, how one identifies and defines oneself. Proposing that everyone use “they” works against this thoughtful inquiry about how one defines oneself.

This article speaks about Quakers as though we are extinct, which we are definitely not. And why not ask contemporary Quakers their thoughts on the matter?

Lucy Duncan

Philadelphia

The writer is director of Friends relations for American Friends Service Committee.

To the Editor:

I commend Teresa M. Bejan for bringing some interesting historical tidbits to the Times readership. Unfortunately, she completely misses the heart of the issue.