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<div class="gmail-css-19p9itf"><h1 class="gmail-css-1exsct0">Opinion: Diversity warriors need to leave our language alone</h1></div><div class="gmail-css-19p9itf"><address class="gmail-css-g5nvco"><div class="gmail-css-1mumevq"><div><div class="gmail-css-1gvw22v"><span class="gmail-css-18ijwav">Gemma Tognini</span><span class="gmail-css-18ijwav">The West Australian</span></div> </div><time datetime="2018-06-20T02:00:00+08:00" class="gmail-css-1xux8p5">Tuesday, 19 June 2018 2:00PM</time> </div></address></div><div class="gmail-css-19p9itf"><figure class="gmail-css-an4ons"><span class="gmail-css-1l6t4f3 gmail-image"><img alt="Gender Specific words
Illustration: Don Lindsay" src="https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88871166Z/1529407717014_G401MBK60.3-2.jpg?imwidth=800&impolicy=.auto" class="gmail-css-bnc37a"></span><figcaption class="gmail-css-4dlhbx gmail-figcaption"><span class="gmail-css-1fz5jgx"><span class="gmail-css-1tyms7g gmail-figcaption__caption-text">Gender Specific words
Illustration: Don Lindsay</span><span class="gmail-css-lovyl gmail-figcaption__source">Picture: Illustration: Don Lindsay</span></span></figcaption></figure></div><div class="gmail-css-19p9itf"><div class="gmail-css-1t3gnak"><aside class="gmail-css-15d97vi"><div class="gmail-css-1wyrvi1"></div></aside></div></div><div><div class="gmail-css-1z0v54g"><div class="gmail-css-63oe3q"><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">A
couple of weeks ago, in these very pages, I wrote about certain words
that have been hijacked and held hostage. To be clear, I didn’t intend
to be talking about ... well, talking, so very quickly but when the
beer’s free you grab a middy, right?</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">As they
say in the classics, s... just got real and instead of words being taken
hostage, this time it’s the entire conversation. Let me explain.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Some
of you may have seen the news over the past couple of days that Curtin
University has warned its staff and students against using what it calls
gender-specific language.</p><div></div><div></div><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Other universities have language guidelines, too. UWA’s version counsels students not to use words like “mankind”. </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">You
know, as in “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Terms
like that are no longer acceptable. They’re vetoed. Gone. Blacklisted.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Curtin,
however, has raised the stakes, admitting that “it’s possible a student
may fail an assessment or be subject to actions under the student
charter, or misconduct provisions” for failing to comply.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Stop
and think about this, I mean really think about it for a second. A
university has adopted a policy which could see students fail if they
don’t all speak the same language. Language developed and rolled out
under some diversity policy, crafted no doubt in the Petri dish of
academic hysteria that bears precious little resemblance to the real
world.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">The message here is simple — what
matters is compliance to a centrally mandated policy on language used in
academic expression, not the expression of individual voices in a
respectful, mature manner.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">The university says
it’s all to ensure that staff and students communicate in ways that are
inclusive and that reflect a commitment to valuing diversity — although
one could strenuously argue it does not reflect a commitment to valuing
diversity of expression. </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Again — a student could fail an assessment for not using the approved language. Higher education, anyone?</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">I
hear what you’re saying — one example does not constitute a hostage
situation and I agree, but it’s not just one example. A few short months
ago it was Qantas who rolled out a so-called gender-neutral approach to
language on all of its flights, under of course the banner of
diversity.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">What that meant was avoiding words like love, mum, dad, husband, wife and guys.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> It is a special kind of inanity that pushes these kinds of agendas without understanding just how ridiculous they are.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">
How about this? How about the fact that some people quite like being
referred to as someone’s wife or husband? Not quite diverse enough,
apparently.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> I don’t mind being called love,
or darls, depending on who’s saying it and of course, the context,
because as an actual adult with the ability to discern, I can tell when
someone is being patronising or instead using the vernacular or a term
of affection.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> In addition, I am not fundamentally obsessed with the idea of getting offended.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Want
more? Sure, no problem. Just this week, Cancer Research UK dropped the
word “women” from its pap-smear test campaign ... because, diversity.
Again, let’s just pause to consider this one.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">
Women, who you know are the single largest at-risk group of contracting
cervical cancer, on account of having cervixes, are no longer being
directly spoken to, because ... diversity.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">The
organisation was quoted as saying it decided to change the language to
encourage more transgender men to get tested, rather than focusing on
the traditional at-risk group of women aged between 25 and 64.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">In
a tweet, Cancer Research UK wrote “Cervical screening (or the smear
test) is relevant for everyone aged 25-64 with a cervix”. Technically
correct but fundamentally very stupid.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">I
understand the intent, which is to ensure that trans men don’t neglect
their screenings, but instead of fostering inclusion and understanding
the move alienated and infuriated women. Remember them?</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">If the intent was to be truly inclusive, why not just say women and trans-men?</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">
One leading advocate in the LGBTQ community put it perfectly when I
asked him. “Trans people want to be recognised and treated equally — so
let’s be inclusive. Why wouldn’t they just say women and trans men?”</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Why wouldn’t they indeed? Inclusive, clear and represents diversity.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">In public speaking terms, the diversity warriors are losing the room, and by the room I mean most of us.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">
Silliest thing is, this kind of nonsense, this kind of alienating, over
the top social-linguistic engineering doesn’t foster inclusion. </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">It doesn’t breed tolerance and understanding.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> It doesn’t remove barriers, it creates them.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">And
of course, it diminishes and undermines genuine instances of
discrimination and bias. Devalues them. They get lost in the peripheral,
ultimately disposable rubbish being pushed by those with nothing better
to do.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">To suggest that referring to someone
as a husband or a wife constitutes divisive language (because that’s the
opposite of inclusive, right?) is in fact disrespectful nonsense.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Threatening
students with lower graded assignments for failing to adhere to an
“inclusive language” policy sounds like something the Stasi dreamed up
in the dead of winter. </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Leaving out the word
women in a campaign to encourage cervical cancer screening is like
omitting the word vagina when referring to natural child birth. (Oh, but
we want to be inclusive to people who may identify with having a
vagina…). </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Enough already. Enough.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">Who is buying into this?</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> I don’t think many, if any, of us are. </p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">I
truly believe most Australians regularly practise respect for their
neighbours, colleagues, friends and family regardless of their race,
sexuality and faith.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2"> It is reflected in their
everyday language, including the wonderful vernacular and turn of
phrase that is so beautifully inclusive, and helps make us who we are.</p><p class="gmail-css-1q2f5l2">To lose that would be a terrible shame.</p></div></div></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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