Due to the global pandemic, news about gender neutrality is very limited. Multiple articles seemed to reiterate the same points. For example, over ten articles discussed a recent tweet from the United Nations that encouraged people to use gender-neutral language in order to “help create a more equal world”. It included a list of gendered words and gender-neutral alternatives. This tweet received a lot of backlash from conservative outlets such as Fox News, Australian politician Mark Latham, and British broadcaster Piers Morgan. Other articles expressed disapproval of what some view as language policing, including the replacement of “landlord” with “owner”. Still another article discussed gender-neutral alternatives for gendered words without referencing the UN tweet. 

Gender-neutral parenting was another widely discussed topic in the news this week. Other articles highlighted celebrities who raise their children in a gender-neutral fashion or have transgender kids, such as Cher or Dwyane Wade. One article pointed out different methods of gender-neutral parenting such as “removing gender stereotypes and fighting inequality” versus “ choosing to ditch the concept of gender altogether by keeping their child’s biological sex private from the public until the child makes a decision on how they identify.” Another article discussed the importance of parents not reproducing gender roles or stereotypes, such as the mother doing all the cooking and cleaning while the father works. One author argued that we should encourage gender-neutral parenting since the gender binary “breeds inequality”. 

One article offered twenty-six gender-neutral baby names for expecting parents and gender-neutral baby shower gift ideas. Another discussed alternatives to gender-reveal parties, including astrology, name, or godparent reveal parties. One article highlighted a mother who created a gender-neutral children’s clothing line. She stated this was important to her because it makes it easier for parents to pass children’s clothes on to other children.

Students advocating for more gender-neutral policies in school also made news. After surveying gender biases in schools, student Ananya Gupta created a machine learning toolkit that quantifies gender representation in textbooks, calculating whether the book is truly gender-neutral. Another student advocated for a gender-neutral dress-code policy after being told that his traditionally feminine articles of clothing were too distracting.