Bias-free language guide at University of NH

[Unas]

Am I the only one who laughed when I read this? I can't believe how hung up people get over words.

I don't know whether to agree with you or not. Which people are you referring to?

I hate all of these "alternative" terms for fat. Overweight, fluffy, Pooh-sized, etc, it's all ridiculous. Fat is a neutral descriptor. It doesn't compare people to animals/cartoon characters or imply that they're beyond the allowed weight range for human beings. I don't know why everyone seems to be afraid to use it.

Maybe because few of us obese people don't want to think of our selves as fat.

We have north americans, central americans and south americans to represent people from other countries within this hemisphere. Americans refers to citizens of the USA.

Nope, Yanks refers to US citizens. Even all y'all from the southeast of this nation and Bostonians.

I think of it as a more generic term. Like Kleenex. I don't even know if mine is a male or a female. I guess mail carrier would be acceptable. I think people get their panties in a bunch about way too much stuff. And years ago no one would have heard what these loons were saying. Now with social media, they get an audience. Sadly.

Kleenex is anything but generic, it's a very specific brand and if you try to call some other facial tissue Kleenex in the marketplace, they'll sue your bleep off.

Isn't the job "letter carrier?"

 

[littlejimmy]

i am a healthy, although somewhat overweight, caucasian, american, who is fathering two daughters, one of whom is a freshman in college.

 

[Dizlvr]

You really wouldn't care if you were referred to as a man in your career? I honestly find that hard to believe. I wouldn't be offended, but I sure wouldn't like it.

Mailman is a general term referring to the JOB, it doesn't mean you are personally being called a man. It would not bother me in the least.

 

[penn19]

Unas, my point was kleenex is generic in the sense that any facial tissue is referred to as kleenex. And what if the mailPERSON is carrying something other than letters? Then that wouldn't be an accurate description then. I think MOST people know what you are talking about when you say mailman. I don't think it's meant to be offensive.

 

[kimblebee]

Unas, my point was kleenex is generic in the sense that any facial tissue is referred to as kleenex. And what if the mailPERSON is carrying something other than letters? Then that wouldn't be an accurate description then. I think MOST people know what you are talking about when you say mailman. I don't think it's meant to be offensive.

Referred to as Kleenex by whom? When asking for one, I ask for a tissue. What the PP said is very true, why do you think Scotties don't call their product Kleenex in the commercials? It's a brand name, hardly generic LOL

The term mail person would be accurate because if they are delivering a package, it is still mail for someone. I hardly think Canada Post or the USPS (that's right acronym, correct?) advertises a job opening for a mailman. Could you imagine?

 

[Dizlvr]

Referred to as Kleenex by whom? When asking for one, I ask for a tissue. What the PP said is very true, why do you think Scotties don't call the Kleenex in the commercials? It's a brand name, hardly generic LOL

We call all tissues in this house Kleenex (and I buy Puffs) and we call all cotton swabs Q-tips. Some things just turn into generic terms, band-aid is another. Mailman fall under that category IMO.

 

[penn19]

Referred to as Kleenex by whom? When asking for one, I ask for a tissue. What the PP said is very true, why do you think Scotties don't call the Kleenex in the commercials? It's a brand name, hardly generic LOL

maybe that's the difference between Americans and Canadiens? I couldn't have even named another facial tissue other than Kleenex until you said Scotties.

 

[ebtbmom]

This is how Orwellian New Speak begins.

 

[penn19]

This is how Orwellian New Speak begins.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[ebtbmom]

My thoughts exactly.

I've read 1984 about every ten years since my teens, it's alarming how quickly some of it is coming to pass.

I really noticed the language this last time. How so many words and phrases become taboo and replaced with asinine sounding replacements.

 

[SirDuff]

maybe that's the difference between Americans and Canadiens? I couldn't have even named another facial tissue other than Kleenex until you said Scotties.

This Canadian says Kleenex. Though I know that there are many other brands. Also Band-Aids. But I don't say hoover (as many of my British friends do).

 

[penn19]

I've read 1984 about every ten years since my teens, it's alarming how quickly some of it is coming to pass.

I really noticed the language this last time. How so many words and phrases become taboo and replaced with asinine sounding replacements.

Weird, because I think the same thing. I read it again last year. Orwell was off by 30 years but.....

 

[midnightlouise]

While I do agree we should be mindful of how our words are perceived by others, even the most innocuous statements can be picked apart by someone with an agenda. I would venture to say that a great many words in any language could be looked upon as offensive by someone who is determined to find malice where no ill-intent exists. Calling it bias-free is ridiculous. Everyone has biases, we can pretend we don't all we like. Humans devised language, humans are not bias-free, ergo, language is not bias-free. I'm glad that people are thinking about it, and talking about it, but I am concerned about the direction in which these types of initiatives are going.

 

[Minnesota!]

You don't think a female letter
carrier would be offended to be called a mailman?

As a Canadian, I'd be super offended to be called an American so yeah, you guys can have that one.

You really wouldn't care if you were referred to as a man in your career? I honestly find that hard to believe. I wouldn't be offended, but I sure wouldn't like it.

If you think labels don't matter, try this. Next time your mailman/lady comes by, point to them and say to your husband..hey..there's our mail lady, I wonder what HIS name is. See if you don't get the strangest look or comment.

I would not.care.if my title had "man" in it..graphic designerman? And, the few women I know who deliver mail, call themselves mailmen

And, yes, Kleenex - any and all tissues. We only buy Target generic, but call em Kleenex.

People put waaaaaaay too much thought into words. Way too much.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I wouldn't be offended, if someone referred to me as a man. I would probably laugh out loud.

 

[kimblebee]

I'm not saying I'm offended, I'm totally not. I'm just saying I see the point of how some words are offensive. If you have children and one is/was called the wrong gender 'oh what a cute boy you have', did you not correct the person? I'm betting you did, even if you won't admit it here.

 

[Colleen27]

Even though that can change.

I wouldn't be the least bit offended to be called a "fill in the blank" man. Life is way too short to get bent out of shape about that. Now pay me fairly rather than less than men. THAT to me is a true problem.

This is kind of what I was getting at about unintended meanings, though. You wouldn't be offended. That's fine. A lot of adults (probably the vast majority) wouldn't. But what message does the word send to a girl of say 8 or 10 who might want to be a policeMAN or a fireMAN? It certainly sounds, right on its face, that it is a path reserved for men. Yes, those of us with the maturity and life experience to know otherwise don't really think much of it but that doesn't mean it isn't worth thinking about.

 

[Ceila]

This is kind of what I was getting at about unintended meanings, though. You wouldn't be offended. That's fine. A lot of adults (probably the vast majority) wouldn't. But what message does the word send to a girl of say 8 or 10 who might want to be a policeMAN or a fireMAN? It certainly sounds, right on its face, that it is a path reserved for men. Yes, those of us with the maturity and life experience to know otherwise don't really think much of it but that doesn't mean it isn't worth thinking about.

I don't know of any kid, male or female, who would ever think that a policeman, fireman, freshman, or MANkind can only be male. As with Kleenex, Xerox, Velcro, etc., certain words take on a generic meaning over time. I believe that those I listed above, as well as many others, fall into the same category.

For fun, here are a few more words that have entered our vernacular as generic terms (full list at http://mentalfloss.com/article/56667/41-brand-names-people-use-generic-terms):

Bubble Wrap
Onesies
Crock-pot
Ping-pong
Weed eater
Taser
Dumpster
Plexiglass
Styrofoam
Frisbee
Windbreaker

 

[Skywalker]

i am a healthy, although somewhat overweight, caucasian, american, who is fathering two daughters, one of whom is a freshman in college.

Is this one of those exercises where we have to correct the errors? Okay I will take a stab at it:

I am a typically-developing, white (not that there's anything good implied about that!), semi-fluffy, United States citizen, who is parenting two children who have self-identified as female, one of whom is in her first year of college.

What's my score? Who did I offend?

 

[L&Lfan]

And no one's even mentioned the cis male /cis female thread yet.