RE : Man, oh man

[Joanne Proctor <jmproctor@KSPRESS.COM>]

Hi,
  Initially, I was going to stay out of this discussion and only replied to
Ken personally, but I've decided to let the "guys" know that at least one
woman agrees with them.  Maybe it's because I'm "of a certain age" but it
was explained to me when I was growing up (remember - I'm the one who
attended a Kingston Trio concert :-)) that when referring to "man" or
"mankind" in a general way (as the original Dewey chart used the term) the
reference included women as well, and I guess I bought it.    If you want to
change it, be my guest, I probably would too, but to be insulted by it, I've
got more important things to worry about.  Have I been discriminated against
because I'm female? Certainly.  Do I believe that words can hurt?
Certainly, even more than sticks or stones.  Do I think that using "his"
class in a permission slip was a mistake?  Certainly.   Do I understand that
a child can be devastated by a teacher's language?  Certainly.  When my son
was in kindergarten, he came home in tears because the teacher had
designated some books on a shelf for him.  Through his tears, he said he
wanted to read the same books the other kids could read.  He thought he was
being discriminated against because he could read.  I tried to explain that,
because he could already read, those books were "extras" for him and that I
was sure that the teacher did not mean he couldn't read the others.  He
didn't believe me and the teacher had to explain it to him after I talked to
her.  Did I chastise her for the way she handled the matter.  No.
We need to be very careful in our language with children, but we are not
children.  Until someone comes up with a viable set of terms to refer to
"all of us, regardless of gender,"  I'm afraid we're all going to have to
"agree to disagree" on this matter.  Maybe if we all put more effort into
working together to create such terms (read Frindle - great book) instead of
flaming each other we might further the future for all of us.

Just my poor humble opinion.  No flames requested.

Joanne Proctor
Most Pure Heart of Mary School
Topeka, KS
jmproctor@mphm.com

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