&gt; <i>&quot;In spite of continuous attempts on the part of educationalists to proscribe singular they in favour of he, its use remained widespread, and the advice was largely ignored&quot;.</i><p>&gt; So, it appears that &quot;they&quot; is the imposition, &quot;he&quot; is the widespread use.<p>I think you are confusing the word &quot;proscribe&quot; with the sounds-and-looks-very-similar-but-means-almost-exactly-the-opposite &quot;prescribe&quot;.<p>proscribe: forbid, especially by law; denounce or condemn<p>prescribe: recommend (a substance or action) as something beneficial; state authoritatively or as a rule that (an action or procedure) should be carried out.