• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

UNC drops term ‘freshman’ in favor of ‘gender inclusive language’

Status
Not open for further replies.

A.E Suggs

Member
Well for better or worst one thing this does do is drive people apart for something that didn't even have to be made a big deal.
 

zaxon

Member
Political correctness at it's best is nothing more than well-intentioned laziness, and this is a prime example of that. The fact that this specific change was harmless doesn't mean this type of thinking shouldn't be criticized.
 
Well for better or worst one thing this does do is drive people apart for something that didn't even have to be made a big deal.

I think the divisiveness of this issue is completely artificial. Again, this happened three years ago. It was only recently invoked as an issue because it sounded like a good example to rally anti-PC advocates.
 

Stet

Banned
Political correctness at it's best is nothing more than well-intentioned laziness, and this is a prime example of that. The fact that this specific change was harmless doesn't mean this type of thinking shouldn't be criticized.

I find that to be a strange opinion -- why do you think it's laziness?
 

Stet

Banned
Don't you think this is at least a shallow attempt to appear gender inclusive?

But does it take the place of other attempts to be gender inclusive, or exist alongside them? It's an action either way, that's why I don't understand why it's somehow lazier than accepting the status quo.
 

A.E Suggs

Member
I think the divisiveness of this issue is completely artificial. Again, this happened three years ago. It was only recently invoked as an issue because it sounded like a good example to rally anti-PC advocates.

The fact that nobody noticed or cared for the last three years should be evidence that it still isn't a big deal.....

Who is making this a big deal besides the detractors?

Fair enough.
 
I just wanna say that I believe this is highly stupid and inane.

As other people have already brought up, we haven't changed (or thought of changing) "feminism," despite the fact that it seems to be a barrier to people understanding that it is equality for men and women. Freshman by definition includes both men and women. It seems to be a very inane place to put in "gender-inclusive language."
 

zaxon

Member
I find that to be a strange opinion -- why do you think it's laziness?

Instead of looking at the word "freshman" and trying to make a rational judgment on its "gender status", the word was simply expunged based on a flat orthodoxy that deemed it inappropriate (or even merely "potentially inappropriate".)
 

Anatopism

Neo Member
Instead of looking at the word "freshman" and trying to make a rational judgment on its "gender status", the word was simply expunged based on a flat orthodoxy that deemed it inappropriate (or even merely "potentially inappropriate".)

And you determined their methods... how?
 

TUROK

Member
As other people have already brought up, we haven't changed (or thought of changing) "feminism," despite the fact that it seems to be a barrier to people understanding that it is equality for men and women. Freshman by definition includes both men and women. It seems to be a very inane place to put in "gender-inclusive language."
While I don't think the issue in the OP is a big deal, I do find it funny when feminists get offended when people prefer to refer themselves as egalitarians rather than feminists in regard to being for gender equality. Seems pretty hypocritical.
 

zaxon

Member
And you determined their methods... how?

I am inferring based on what I see. If you can explain to me how anyone can rationally arrive at the conclusion that "freshman" is somehow exclusive of any group, I'm all ears. The word has about as much connotation of gender as "Sophomore" does of stupidity.
 

Anatopism

Neo Member
I am inferring based on what I see. If you can explain to me how anyone can rationally arrive at the conclusion that "freshman" is somehow exclusive of any group, I'm all ears. The word has about as much connotation of gender as "Sophomore" does of stupidity.

That's a pretty bad reason to start making accusations. You can't imagine it therefore it must be some unthinking orthodoxy? Yeah, that's just a pretty classic argument from ignorance. You can't imagine what else it can be therefore it must be that. The problem is the limits of your imagination are a very poor argument.

It's practically "I disagree with their decision so they must not have put rational thought into it!"
 

Atrus

Gold Member
To the contrary, you attempted to import an anachronistic usage of the suffix "man" to explain the purported gender neutrality of a term that arose at the time when the suffix was understood to refer to males, but you failed. You've provided no counter whatsoever to the basic point that, whatever "man" meant in antiquity, at the time the word in question was coined, "man" referred to males, not females.

That it was common practice in Darwin's time to use the male gendered form to refer to humanity as a collective is neither here nor there, since that is not the sense it's being used with freshman.

It still is a common practice to refer to humans as 'man'. Where do you people even come from? For all mankind? Heard this very popular not too distant phrase?

Anachronistic? Learn the actual English language.
 
Men are weak.

20460d1304843137-elf-clan-leaves-second-life-elrond_facepalm.jpg
 

genjiZERO

Member
Because you haven't established that Policeman, Freshman, or Chairman arose before it was the case in ENGLISH that "man" refers to male and "woman" to female. Unless you can, all this business about 13th century meanings and police dogs is so much irrelevant hand-waving that does not establish the FOUNDATION of anything.

You are wrong because it has never been the case that the word "man" was not gender neutral. True, it acquires the meaning of 'male' by the Middle Ages, but it never ceases to also be gender neutral. Consequently, it's irrelevant if the word "policeman" or whatever arose after the word 'man' acquired "male" as separate meaning. Thus, "man" is still a gender neutral word, and it's use within English is proper.
 

zaxon

Member
That's a pretty bad reason to start making accusations. You can't imagine it therefore it must be some unthinking orthodoxy? Yeah, that's just a pretty classic argument from ignorance. You can't imagine what else it can be therefore it must be that. The problem is the limits of your imagination are a very poor argument.

It's practically "I disagree with their decision so they must not have put rational thought into it!"

My argument is based on the presumption that changing a word with no gender connotations to make it more gender neutral can not have any rational thought behind it because it is irrational. If you disagree, feel free to elaborate.
 

Anatopism

Neo Member
My argument is based on the presumption that changing a word with no gender connotations to make it more gender neutral can not have any rational thought behind it because it is irrational. If you disagree, feel free to elaborate.

Why would I elaborate when your position has no argument behind it, merely a declaration? You're more or less affirming what I said at the end, you're saying because you disagree they couldn't possibly have put rational thought behind it without actually demonstrating anything. There's no thought put into why, your argument amounts to you saying you're right and they must be irrational as they do not agree.
 

magicstop

Member
EDIT: Oh, wtf! How did this bump? I saw this as an active topic on the main page. I am not a bumper, never have been. Many, many apologies on that front. Not trying to bring this back up, especially with vitriol. Sorry, folks.

Original:
It this thread, a bunch of butthurt sexist men whine and make terrible jokes because they're uncomfortable with change, gender analysis, and gender equality. Keep it classy, gents.

And yeah, I think this is a good move by UNC. Being animals with large frontal lobes that have evolved to utilize symbolic thought and language, humans are bound within language and symbol, and thus language and symbol are incredibly powerful. Intentionally using language is necessary to create the space and foundation of any fundamental, radical, or systemic change. Of course, there will always been those who are uncomfortable with it, who stand to lose from it, who yearn for the "good ol' days" when things were simpler, more straight-forward, more honest, less PC, i.e. patriarchal, racist, classist, etc. Too bad for you, folks. Times, they are a changin'.
 
It this thread, a bunch of butthurt sexist men whine and make terrible jokes because they're uncomfortable with change, gender analysis, and gender equality. Keep it classy, gents.

And yeah, I think this is a good move by UNC. Being animals with large frontal lobes that have evolved to utilize symbolic thought and language, humans are bound within language and symbol, and thus language and symbol are incredibly powerful. Intentionally using language is necessary to create the space and foundation of any fundamental, radical, or systemic change. Of course, there will always been those who are uncomfortable with it, who stand to lose from it, who yearn for the "good ol' days" when things were simpler, more straight-forward, more honest, less PC, i.e. patriarchal, racist, classist, etc. Too bad for you, folks. Times, they are a changin'.

Should probably change that word.

Edit: Wow, what a random bump.
 

derder

Member
It this thread, a bunch of butthurt sexist men whine and make terrible jokes because they're uncomfortable with change, gender analysis, and gender equality. Keep it classy, gents.

And yeah, I think this is a good move by UNC. Being animals with large frontal lobes that have evolved to utilize symbolic thought and language, humans are bound within language and symbol, and thus language and symbol are incredible powerful. Intentionally using language is necessary to create the space and foundation of any fundamental, radical, or systemic change. Of course, there will always been those who are uncomfortable of it, who stand to lose from it, who yearn for the "good ol' days" when things were simpler, more straight-forward, more honest, less PC, i.e. patriarchal, racist, classist, etc.

This is also the same city that proposed banning walking while using a cellphone.

This is a singular instance of taking PC too far - not a move towards gender equality. They should have spent their time and resources in cleaning out their African American Studies corruption issues IMO.
 

Matugi

Member
I can tell you the only people that use the term "first years" are faculty and student interns. Everyone else uses "freshman"
 

cheststrongwell

my cake, fuck off
It this thread, a bunch of butthurt sexist men whine and make terrible jokes because they're uncomfortable with change, gender analysis, and gender equality. Keep it classy, gents.

And yeah, I think this is a good move by UNC. Being animals with large frontal lobes that have evolved to utilize symbolic thought and language, humans are bound within language and symbol, and thus language and symbol are incredibly powerful. Intentionally using language is necessary to create the space and foundation of any fundamental, radical, or systemic change. Of course, there will always been those who are uncomfortable with it, who stand to lose from it, who yearn for the "good ol' days" when things were simpler, more straight-forward, more honest, less PC, i.e. patriarchal, racist, classist, etc. Too bad for you, folks. Times, they are a changin'.

Smh
 

magicstop

Member
Oh, wtf! How did this bump? I saw this as an active topic on the main page. I am not a bumper, never have been. Many, many apologies on that front. Not trying to bring this back up, especially with vitriol. Sorry, folks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom