Using Words like "male" or "female" can earn you an F in class

[Chocolate Cake]

This is getting a little out of control.

http://wsav.com/2015/09/01/washington-state-university-bans-certain-words-in-some-classes/

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Here is another link:

http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=6770

 

[leebee]

It's getting foolish out there!

(OK, I wanted to write "It's getting stoopid out there," but didn't for fear of backlash. Does this mean I am bowing to the PC Police?)

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Waaaaaah. I can't call hispanics bad words in ethnic studies!!!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The fascism of the social justice warrior.

Then again, college has been Mickey Mouse games even when I was there in 94 - 98.

There is something to be said about the use of oppressive language. Especially in the Department of Criticial Culture, Gender and Race Studies. But it shouldn't affect your grade.

 

[pryncess527]

Some professors in the Department of Criticial Culture, Gender and Race Studies made it clear in their syllabi what language and terms students are not allowed to use, with a result potentially as dramatic as getting points docked or even failing a class.

“That’s kind of harsh, but you live with it,” says senior Anthony Lui. “There are rules in this world, you kind of have to follow them.”

In one class the terms “illegal alien”, “colored people” and “male” and “female” are cited in the syllabus as words that could gain a student an F.

So, it seems that the penalties are restricted to specific courses -- courses where use of proper terminology is a huge part of what is being learned. I'd like to see the actual syllabus before passing judgement, but in general, if you fail to use the "correct" terminology for any discipline you are studying, you risk losing points on assignments or for class participation.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

So, it seems that the penalties are restricted to specific courses -- courses where use of proper terminology is a huge part of what is being learned. I'd like to see the actual syllabus before passing judgement, but in general, if you fail to use the "correct" terminology for any discipline you are studying, you risk losing points on assignments or for class participation.

Calling a moon a planet and calling a person who came into a country without proper documentation "an illegal alien" aren't the same thing. A moon, by definition, is not a planet. Those are scientific terms. A person who is in a country without proper documentation is, in fact, there illegally, regardless of your opinion of the use of the word.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

So, it seems that the penalties are restricted to specific courses -- courses where use of proper terminology is a huge part of what is being learned. I'd like to see the actual syllabus before passing judgement, but in general, if you fail to use the "correct" terminology for any discipline you are studying, you risk losing points on assignments or for class participation.

At what point would the words "male" and "female" be inappropriate?

Is it going to get to the point where we have to use terms like Cis-man" and "Cis-woman, Bi-Gneger, transgender, gender-fluid, genderless, pansexual, etc? The list goes on and on and on.

Have we really come to the point where people are going to be penalized for using the words male and female?

 

[Chocolate Cake]

A person who is in a country without proper documentation is, in fact, there illegally, regardless of your opinion of the use of the word.

Exactly. Should I call someone who breaks into my home an "undocumented guest"?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

At what point would the words "male" and "female" be in appropriate?

When you are talking about animals. Or you is being used as an adjective ("male stripper").

 

[Rhombus]

Who the heck is foolish enough to enroll in courses offered by something called The Department of Critical Culture, Gender and Race Studies????

 

[pryncess527]

At what point would the words "male" and "female" be in appropriate? Is it going to get to the point where we have to use terms like Cis-man" and "Cis-woman, Bi-Gneger, transgender, gender-fluid, genderless, pansexual, etc? The list goes on and on and on.

Have we really come to the point where people are going to be penalized for using the words male and female?

I don't know, like I said, it depends on what the syllabus actually says and what the goal of the instructor is. I just think the news story is blowing it out of proportion because it makes it sound like this is some University rule, when in reality it's a guiding principle for grading in some specific courses. Courses where asking students to consider their language and use the terminology defined for the class might be appropriate. It can be very difficult to have conversations about sensitive issues when people in the class use terms differently, and so establishing a strict set of definitions for the purpose of class is really not that uncommon in some disciplines.

It seems unlikely, to me, that a student would fail unless they repeatedly showed a lack of respect for the subject and course by refusing to use the terminology in the syllabus over the course of the semester.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

When you are talking about animals. Or you is being used as an adjective ("male stripper").

I suppose there would be some transgender situations (very small percentage) where it might get tricky, but for the most part, the majority of people are either male or female. There are actually movements to ban the words "male/female" or "boy/girl" all together.

So, if you know someone is a male, you can still receive a bad grade for referring to them as such in these classes

 

[IndyRnRfan]

To PC for me and this is the problem with our liberal sided view on things. It's just going to make it easier for me to tick people off then. We have much bigger fish to fry than worrying about calling someone a he/she male/female. If you are offended by those names then you need to get out of this country or grow thicker skin. I am getting so sick and tired of people being offended over the littlest things. Go live in a third world country or a communist run country for a year and then tell me how you feel.

 

[Disneefun]

But according to science, humans are animals. Just higher evolved, but still mammals. So male and female is about as appropriate as it gets. What else are we supposed to be? The scientific term is male or female.

 

[xlxo]

I'm still wondering how to pronounce "(wo)man" I'm seeing in some documents.

 

[pryncess527]

But according to science, humans are animals. Just higher evolved, but still mammals. So male and female is about as appropriate as it gets. What else are we supposed to be? The scientific term is male or female.

But since this pertains to a gender course, and not a biology course, then asking students to avoid the biological labels might be justified. Because biology might not be what is relevant to the conversations they are having in class.

 

[Tinkermommy]

I thought college was about free speech and exploring ideas. These words are not about a set of standard definitions but more about "feelings".

I would think that a college course on race and gender would be the perfect place for a discussion on these words. Banning them would seem to limit the discussion but that is probably not the goal for these classes.

 

[lsyorke]

But since this pertains to a gender course, and not a biology course, then asking students to avoid the biological labels might be justified. Because biology might not be what is relevant to the conversations they are having in class.

Exactly!

 

[JaxDad]

Department of Criticial Culture, Gender and Race Studies

I had to look at the article to confirm this was really a university department, and you weren't just joking! I wonder if it is a major too...and what kind of jobs can you get with such a degree? I guess you could become a professor in the department (or similar departments in other universities???), or a writer, or maybe an EEO Specialist in some government agency? I apologize to any of you who may have majored in this or something similar, but if one of my kids decided to major in this, I would have to say great, but you're paying for it!

I also noticed that nobody has mentioned the other requirement listed in the article at the second link:

"White students in Professor John Streamas’s 'Introduction to Multicultural Literature' class, are expected to 'defer' to non-white students, among other community guidelines, if they want 'to do well in this class.'”

What's up with that? I guess I understand the concept, but it just seems like another form of racism to me.