Looks like old Red Green was way ahead of his time with this man prayer.
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What would happen to sailing if...
- Thread starter Justin_NSA
- Start date
Real men adapt when necessary. That whole quiche thing is a complete myth.
I'm not gonna say I eat quiche, but then I'm not saying I don't, either. It's not that I mind anyone knowing, I just don't want to create any gender biased impressions of who I am.
-Will ("real hum", Dragonfly)
When a particular new commodore was elected in our sailing club, he asked each of the Board if Stewards to write a short paragraph on ourselves. When i referred to my wife as “my wife,” he changed it to spouse. I was livid. (You don’t want to see me livid.) He explained that some people are not comfortable with the word wife. My lividness prevailed.
Livid is probably an overstatement. Let’s just go with miffed in a pissed-off angry sorta way.
Livid is probably an overstatement. Let’s just go with miffed in a pissed-off angry sorta way.
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I kind of like shimhole for manhole.... you do have to shimmy down them...
I'm not sure if I like shimpit for cockpit though... sounds kind of naughty (or is that knotty?)
Every time I see comments, on either side of the Political Correctness world, I wonder at the capacity of people to be offended. One of the things I learned from sharing a small boat with several strangers is that it's good policy to not tread on toes, or insult people's skills, or borrow someone else's washcloth. This is not just because it is a long swim back to port, but also because you too have toes, skills, and a washcloth that you'd like to protect.
I grew up with the saying... Sticks and stones will break my bone but words will never hurt me.
Somewhere along the path this thinking was abandoned and now we spend lots of time concerned with words that might better be spent enjoying sailing...
Somewhere along the path this thinking was abandoned and now we spend lots of time concerned with words that might better be spent enjoying sailing...
When the wind changes, sailors should update the trim.
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I actually don't believe people are hurt by offensive words. It's more like they look upon offensive words as an opportunity.
I also don't believe one can give offense to someone who isn't eager to take it from you.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Interesting concept, but language changes itself. Our kids etc etc will shape the language to fit their needs. one has to ask “does this clarify the concept I am communicating?” Government can try to be gender neutral, but the lingua terra will be what it is until new concepts need defining. I suspect until gender neutral folks are common enough in society to come up with a “title” they feel defines them as well as he, she, her, him, society will have difficulty adopting a replacement. Typically when we try to engineer language even with good intentions (anyone know Esperanto) it dies on the vine.
I always felt like "manway" had become understood to be short for "humanway." I don't take pride in having sewer openings named for my sex.
I like police officer, mail carrier, and humanity. I guess it is up to use to invent terms that are concise and sound right. Some of the examples are stupid; maintenance opening does not communicate that it is human sized, crew overboard unintentionally differentiates from passengers, and personal person overboard beacon is a mouth full), but hopefully they will get better.
I'm ambivalent. I'll still yell "Man overboard!" if I expect anyone to listen, at least for now. I suggest you do the same.
As a writer, I want words to be unambiguous. This is the fundamental purpose of language. A poorly considered change can violate that (maintenance opening), but a well considered change (mail carrier) can help.
I like police officer, mail carrier, and humanity. I guess it is up to use to invent terms that are concise and sound right. Some of the examples are stupid; maintenance opening does not communicate that it is human sized, crew overboard unintentionally differentiates from passengers, and personal person overboard beacon is a mouth full), but hopefully they will get better.
I'm ambivalent. I'll still yell "Man overboard!" if I expect anyone to listen, at least for now. I suggest you do the same.
As a writer, I want words to be unambiguous. This is the fundamental purpose of language. A poorly considered change can violate that (maintenance opening), but a well considered change (mail carrier) can help.
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Nearly just as crazy is they are paying someone $273K a year to "fix" it. In the same fell swoop, they also banned the use of natural gas. Regardless of one's take on global warming, natural gas is one of the cleanest fuels out there, short of nuclear power. There will be unintended consequences, but they sure will feel good about themselves for having done something (nothing).
I do find it amazing that people actually think gender neutral will somehow going to make a measurable improvement on a perceived gender oppression. Does anyone actually think "man" when one uses the term manhole? No, the term is so common that it has full meaning of what it is, rather than something actually associated with gender. Only those who choose to be oppressed and triggered will be oppressed. Everyone else just goes about their normal life, being who they are and not having a problem with it.
Surprise scientific fact: Men and women are actually different. No matter how one will try to gender neutralize society, they can't change that fact. Culture will still be driven by those difference.
I do find it amazing that people actually think gender neutral will somehow going to make a measurable improvement on a perceived gender oppression. Does anyone actually think "man" when one uses the term manhole? No, the term is so common that it has full meaning of what it is, rather than something actually associated with gender. Only those who choose to be oppressed and triggered will be oppressed. Everyone else just goes about their normal life, being who they are and not having a problem with it.
Surprise scientific fact: Men and women are actually different. No matter how one will try to gender neutralize society, they can't change that fact. Culture will still be driven by those difference.