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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAs Washington state eyes gender-neutral language, dairymen, freshmen, penmanship face chopping block
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) In Washington state, dairymen, freshmen and even penmanship could soon be things of the past.
Over the past six years, state officials have engaged in the onerous task of changing the language used in the state's copious laws, including thousands of words and phrases, many written more than a century ago when the idea of women working on police forces or on fishing boats wasn't a consideration.
That process is slated to draw to a close this year. So while the state has already welcomed "firefighters," ''clergy" and "police officers" into its lexicon, "ombuds" (in place of ombudsman) and "security guards" (previously "watchmen," appear to be next, along with "dairy farmers," ''first-year students" and "handwriting."
"Some people would say 'oh, it's not a big thing, do you really have to go through the process of changing the language,'" said Seattle Councilmember Sally Clark who was one of the catalysts for the change. "But language matters. It's how we signal a level of respect for each other."
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/wash-state-considers-gender-neutral-language-bill
annabanana
(52,791 posts)too bad "maid" has virginal connotation..Could have been useful
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)alcibiades_mystery
(36,437 posts)Things won't be the way they were! This is an outrage!
TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)Nothing better to do with their time, I guess.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)enlightenment
(8,830 posts)"Ombuds" sounds like something a "first-year student" would say at a frat party.
Jackpine Radical
(45,274 posts)dballance
(5,756 posts)The women in the traditional jobs labeled line man and meter man called themselves by the traditional names. I don't know of any efforts on the women's part to get the job titles changed to gender neutral job titles. Those jobs really aren't that far off of the traditional titles "fireman" and "policeman." Not to mention that can have similarly difficult physical conditions in which to work. So I just kind of found it interesting that the job titles didn't change as women started to do them right along side the men.
MadHound
(34,179 posts)But the fact of the matter is when you start getting into words like penmanship, you're taking matters way to far.
What about the word women, are we going to change that as well?
Idiocy.