Lots in a name
Re: Assault Of The Gender Warriors, editorial, Oct. 28. Prof. Jordan Peterson deserves our support for standing up to the tenured lemmings who inhabit academia today. The think police need to be stopped. Sadly, the cowards who run our universities have given students a world where free speech is a thing of the past and political correctness is the only “value” that matters. It is time for those of us in Canada who still believe in common sense and free speech to stop shaking our heads in dismay and start speaking up — before it’s too late. Michael Lebovic, Thornhill, Ont. It is unfortunate that the U of T is focusing its efforts on adding new pronouns to the English language, rather than ensuring its graduates use the current English language properly. Today’s well-educated individuals have apparently never heard of an adverb. When using the contraction “There’s,” a plural noun tends to follow. There are many other examples of improper use of the language.
Such errors are often made by lawyers for whom the proper usage of language is very important. University graduates also struggle with the written language. I am not suggesting that new words not be added. I am suggesting that we pay more attention to the use of the words that we already have. Rick Hird, Whitby, Ont. The demand for gender specific pronouns is not, as you say, “to remove any hint of gender from the language.” Rather, it is to configure the public square with many genders. Your argument against doing so is largely practical, i.e., the great difficulty of mastering the use of many gendered pronouns. Is there a compromise to be drawn from 1960s feminism? Many women rejected being categorized as “Miss” or “Mrs.” And so “Ms” was coined. Now all three terms of address are commonly in use without, so far as I can tell, much complaint.
Could we not allocate “it” or some other new pronoun for use by those who reject the categories of “him” or “her”? Such a move would give some recognition to the concerns of the gender warriors without yielding fully to their substantive vision for the public square. Graham Brown, Waterloo, Ont. I had a transgender student in my classroom who looked male and asked to be addressed as “he” or “Mike” — no problem. If a male student wants to be called “Maria,” I’m OK with it. Everyone has a proper name — Bob, Mary and so on — which is made for that person at birth. There is no law that we must use it, we just do, it’s how we know each other. Transgenders can make up their own personal nicknames, too.
The idea that someone can make up a name or pronoun that is protected by law to be used by anyone addressing them is pointless. Just because someone has problems with their gender does not mean they deserve a law just for them. No other group in society has such protection, nor should they. Randy Brown, Toronto. The argument for legislating and even changing the rules of grammar to accommodate gender-neutral-pronouns is a waste of time and resources. Basically, because one or two people out of 100 are offended or hurt by being referred to as a biological he or she, we must put up with this interference in our daily lives. Unbelievably, universities are enforcing this sociological human rights tripe. More proof that the social sciences and university administrators have been commandeered by progressive activists.