College Tells Students Not To Use Terms Like ‘Mother’ And ‘Father’ To Be More Inclusive

Springfield College in Massachusetts is advising students against the use of “gender-specific” words like “mother” and “father” in order to be more inclusive.

The college included its recommendations as part of its “Gender Pronouns” page, which serves to direct students on the supposedly correct language with regard to LGBT individuals in order to promote “gender inclusivity.” Springfield offers several substitutes for gender specific words; for example, instead of “mother” or “father” and “son” or “daughter,” they suggest “parent” and “child.”

“Springfield College is committed to valuing and validating the gender identity and expression of members of the campus community. Gender identity refers to an individual’s internal sense of gender, regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth or the sex designation on their legal documents,” the “Gender Pronouns” section on the website says. The website also warns against terms like brother and sister, son and daughter, waiter and waitress, mankind and many others.