University Orders Staff to Use 'Woke' Language: Call Fathers 'Non-Birthing Parent'
Told to ditch the terms 'mother' and 'father' to become more gender-inclusive
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A University has ordered its staff to start using gender-neutral language to become more "woke" and "inclusive."
The Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia, told staffers to ditch the terms "mother" and "father" and replace them with more "gender-inclusive" language.
ANU issued a Gender-Inclusive Handbook which lists "woke" phrases that must be used.
The handbook tells staff that fathers must be referred to as the "non-birthing parent."
The term "mother" is replaced with "gestational parent."
"While many students will identify as 'mothers' or 'fathers', using these terms alone to describe parenthood excludes those who do not identify with gender-binaries," the handbook warns.
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The handbook also recommends using the terms "chest feeding" instead of "breastfeeding."
"Human/parent’s milk" replaces "mother’s milk" to describe lactation when you are "woke."
Staff are told to acknowledge the mistake and correct themselves if they fail to use inclusive language.
It cites a 2019 study by researcher Lauren Dinour.
Dinour claims that "heterosexual and woman-focused lactation language ... can misgender, isolate, and harm transmasculine parents and non-heteronormative families."
"This non-gendered language is particularly important in clinical or abstract academic discussions of childbirth and parenthood, both to recognize [sic] the identities of students in the class, and to model inclusive behavior [sic] for students entering clinical practice," the handbook added.
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A spokeswoman for ANU said the recommendations were not an official university policy, according to news.com.au.
"This is a guide produced by a research institute that, among its many areas of focus, examines how to improve gender equity and inclusiveness in our society," the spokeswoman said in a statement.
"This document is not an official ANU policy, process, or official prescription to staff and students."
The handbook was published by Canberra University’s Gender Institute, according to the Australian news website.
