I was initially going to introduce this post as off-topic, but on second thought, it is regrettably relevant to C&C's subject matter. We deal here with crime and punishment. These are serious topics, and discussing them presupposes a level of seriousness in the conversation.
There is now evidence that the level of seriousness needed for intelligent debate has vanished -- or, more correctly, has been forfeited. You will not be surprised to learn that the origin of this step back to ignorance is academia.
The University of Tennessee -- hardly a fly-by-night operation -- is now urging its students to pretend that they cannot tell the difference between boys and girls, and, if they must pretend they know it anyway, that their speech elide the distinction.
Here's the start of the story:
In the boldest endorsement of a growing national trend, the University of Tennessee is urging incoming students and teachers to junk references to "he," "she," and "them," in favor of gender-neutral "ze" and "xe."
The University has helpfully published a chart for those who have trouble getting their Minds Right.
"With the new semester beginning and an influx of new students on campus, it is important to participate in making our campus welcoming and inclusive for all. One way to do that is to use a student's chosen name and their correct pronouns," blogged Donna Braquet, director of the school's Pride Center.
"We should not assume someone's gender by their appearance, nor by what is listed on a roster or in student information systems. Transgender people and people who do not identify within the gender binary may use a different name than their legal name and pronouns of their gender identity, rather than the pronouns of the sex they were assigned at birth," ze wrote.
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