TO THE EDITOR:
In the recent satirical DTH letters about manholes (“Term ‘manholes’ advances a misogynistic culture,” Jan. 12), what comes to light is a common reaction to public discussion on gender. It underscores the need for a more dynamic and interactive discourse on gender politics. The idea that the structure of language fundamentally shapes the way in which we conceive of and construct the world is not an intuitive one, nor should it be accepted without question.
It can be easy to grow up with little consciousness of the serious limitations that common assumptions about gender impose and personally, the process of talking about language lead me to begin thinking honestly about the extent to which male normatively has shaped many of my own deeply held beliefs. Thus in my own experience, the greatest value of gender-neutral language has been the conversation that it creates. But for this conversation to be valuable, attacks on language must be creative, insightful and surprising or they will never inspire listeners to rethink their own views.
I would not want the DTH to move toward gender-neutral language without active deliberation. As individuals, and collectively as a society, thinking about the words we use, and whether we even believe them to have an effect on our conception of gender can itself be a formative process that helps push us forward through a constant, relentless and dynamic engagement with the way we interact with the world. So let’s talk about this. Not by slinging the same tired talking points back and forth, but by honestly assessing our experiences with gender in our own lives and within the larger university community.
Vera Parra
Junior
Philosophy
