Subject-verb agreement for non-binary people

I think I'm broaching a fraught topic, but what's the proper style for subject-verb agreement for those whose pronouns are "they/their/them"? The pronouns imply plural, but does that make the base noun plural too?

Is it proper then to say "Demi Lovato are putting out a new album?" What's the style?

 

It certainly wouldn’t change when you are not even using a pronoun. Demi Lovato is one person.

 

I see it all the time and I've started to abide by the new rules.

Demi Lovato is putting out their first new album in 10 years.​

Start practicing this now and avoid the headaches to come. It is what it is.

 

Demi Lovato is putting out a new album, the singer/songwriter's first in 10 years.

That's as close as it's going to get from me.

 

Here's an example from the Santa Cruz Sentinel, which covers local Olympic middle distance hopeful Nikki Hiltz, who has come out as nonbinary. (May be paywalled)
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2...at-usa-outdoor-championships-track-and-field/

 

A quick check with Google may help.

Demi Lovato Opens Up About Updating Pronouns to She/Her Again

 

I have no issue if someone wants to use non-traditional pronouns. However, it can be confusing. I remember this article about Timothy LeDuc who is a non-binary pairs skater who uses they/them. This article uses they/them both for Timothy individually and for Timothy and his partner.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...nonbinary-athlete-winter-olympics/6842692001/

 

Here's "The Associated Press Stylebook" entry on pronouns:

Growing numbers of people, including some transgender, nonbinary, agender or gender-fluid people, use they/them/their as a gender-neutral singular personal pronoun.
As much as possible, AP also uses they/them/their as a way of accurately describing and representing a person who uses those pronouns for themself.
Here are some guidelines and perspectives.

They as a singular pronoun may be confusing to some readers and amount to a roadblock that stops them from reading further. At the same time, though, efforts to write without pronouns to avoid confusion may make people feel censored or invisible.

How to balance those priorities? Try to honor both your readers and your story subjects. As in all news writing, clarity is paramount.

Often a sentence can be sensitively and smoothly written with no pronoun. For example: Hendricks said the new job is a thrill (instead of Hendricks said Hendricks is thrilled about the new job or Hendricks said they are thrilled about the new job).

When using they/them/their as a singular pronoun, explain if it isn’t clear in context: Morales, who uses the pronoun they, said they will retire in June.

Be sure that the phrasing does not imply more than one person. Rephrase if needed to avoid confusion about the antecedent.

Don’t refer to preferred or chosen pronouns. Instead, the pronouns they use, whose pronouns are, who uses the pronouns, etc.

Don’t make assumptions about a person’s gender identity based on their pronouns, or vice versa. Don’t assume a person’s pronouns based on their first name.

In general, do not use neopronouns such as xe or zim; they are rarely used and are unrecognizable as words to general audiences.

They/them/their take plural verbs even when used as a singular pronoun, and the singular reflexive themself is also acceptable when referring to people who use they/them/their.
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Do not presume maleness in constructing a sentence by defaulting to he/his/him.

When necessary, use they rather than he/she or he or she for an unspecified or unknown gender (a person, the victim, the winner) or indefinite pronoun (anyone, everyone, someone). But rewording to avoid a pronoun is preferable. For example: The foundation gave grants to anyone who lost a job this year (instead of anyone who lost their job).

A singular they may also be used when an anonymous source’s gender must be shielded: The person feared for their own safety and spoke on condition of anonymity.