Week of August 31
Gender-Neutral Parenting
A Times article highlighted the experiences of a Sociology and Gender Studies professor, Kyl Myers, and their experience using gender-creative parenting for their child. The professor explains their accounts with gender socialization growing up and studying it, discussing the harms and limitations that often go along with it. They explain this as their motivation to use gender-neutral pronouns for their child, Zoomer, and why they chose gender-creative parenting. Myers states, “The goal of gender-creative parenting is not to eliminate gender—the goal is to eliminate gender-based oppression, disparities and violence. The aim isn’t to create a genderless world; it’s to contribute to a genderfull one. We as a society have an opportunity to shake up childhood gender socialization in a way that creates more healthy and equitable adulthoods for everyone. What have we got to lose? The patriarchy? Good riddance.”
Gender-Neutrality in the Workplace
Gender-neutrality in the workplace was a highly featured topic this week. Multiple articles highlighted Vodacom’s recent gender-neutral paid parental leave policy, in which parents can take off four months regardless of their gender or means of getting a child (i.e. pregnancy, adoption, surrogacy). Vodacom’s Chief of Human Resources Matimba Mbungela stated, “We are proud to support all families by giving every parent the opportunity to have more time with their children, without worrying about the impact on their finances or careers. The new parental leave policy further underlines our strong commitment to diversity and gender equality and will make a significant difference to thousands of Vodacom employees, particularly in markets where there is little or no legal requirement to give equal support for both parents.”
Meanwhile Deloitte is currently being sued for their gender-neutral parental leave policy, with a former manager claiming, “any individual who actually takes the 16 weeks of leave offered to them by Deloitte loses the right to actually return to their prior position—or to any job at Deloitte at all.” One article from India claimed that the Public Relations industry is the most gender-neutral area to work in. Bushra Ismail, who is the founder of Confiance Communications, stated, “I think the major factor that women leaders in the communications business have contributed to, is the gender-neutrality our industry enjoys, which many sectors in India unfortunately continue to struggle with.”
Gender-neutral Language
Several articles discussed the use of gender-neutral language. One article explained the meaning, origin, and pronunciation of the gender-neutral term for Latina and Latino, “Latinx”. Alan Aja, a professor in Puerto Rican and Latin Studies, stated, “Latinx is an inclusive term that can collectively refer to people who identify within and outside the gender binary.”
The gender-neutral term “Filipinx” has been added to dictionary.com with the definition, “used in place of the masculine form Filipino or the feminine form Filipina”. Meanwhile Utah’s 2020 ballot includes an amendment to change their state’s constitution to use gender-neutral language. One article highlighted the University of New Mexico Hospital Frontline Education collaboration with their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office in order to train students on how to use and respect gender-neutral pronouns.
Gender-Neutrality in Media
Some articles focused on gender-neutrality in media from film festivals to video games. Multiple actors spoke to Berlin International Film Festival’s decision to make gender-neutral acting award categories. Cate Blanchett responded stating, “Not as a political statement, but I’ve always referred to myself as an actor. I don’t think in that very gender specific language and I’m of a generation where the word actress was always used in a pejorative sense.” Tilda Swinton also commented claiming that the decision was “inevitable”. Director Kornél Mundruczó supported the shift from gendered categories to gender-neutral ones as well, claiming it was a “logical move”. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana also commented, “I wholeheartedly laud the Berlin Film Festival’s decision to award gender-neutral recognitions and I hope all film festivals across the world and India follow suit. At the end of the day, we are all actors, and gender divisions only highlight the long prevalent divisive nature of societies. Thus, it is important that gender-neutral awards should become the norm when it comes to adjudicating the best work in a year.”
Many nonbinary individuals called out Call of Duty’s new gender-neutral option for characters. The newest version of the game allows for characters to play as a man, woman, or “classified”. Several people pointed out that it was a poor attempt to make the game LGBTQ+ inclusive. Multiple people claimed it was especially ironic since the soldier serves under the Reagan administration, who is notorious for their lack of response to the AIDs crisis.
