In a recent announcement, the State Department confirmed that they have issued a memo to their employees, cautioning them against using gendered terms such as “mother” and “father.” State Department representative Matthew Miller stressed the significance of showing respect, mentioning that this directive is in line with established government protocols.
Miller made it clear that even though Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed the memo, it does not automatically mean that the directive came directly from Blinken himself. He highlighted that the memo aims to promote polite communication, taking into consideration the preferences of each individual.
“If you look at that memo, as I have done, it’s a standard government practice to try to encourage people just to be respectful of others and use the terms with which others are comfortable and talk to people the way that they would like to be addressed. And nothing more than that,” Miller said in a press briefing.
The memo reportedly cautioned staff about the use of gendered terms such as “mother/father” and “son/daughter,” deeming them “problematic. Additionally, it proposed adding personal pronouns such as she/her, he/him, they/them, and ze/zir to email signatures and introductions during meetings, highlighting that this choice should be respected.
The memo also recommended replacing phrases like “brave men and women” with “brave soldiers.” Additionally, it moves to do away with “ladies and gentlemen,” instead opting for “gender-neutral language.”
Reports suggest that alterations to police officer training courses in North Carolina are being observed, mirroring comparable developments in various other agencies. A revised curriculum now includes specific training on gender-neutral language, directing instructors to incorporate terms like “omnigender,” “androgyne,” and “cisnormativity.”
