Happy New Year

Happy New Year all of you, hope you had a nice one however you chose to celebrate it.
Photobucket
Our house all covered in garlands.
Do you have a resolution for the new year?
I have decided I will try and avoid using gendered language, it's a bit different to my usual resolutions but I think it is a good one. I'm going to try and get around using all the hes and shes and the mens and womens in favour of thems and nice straight forward peoples. It's a really difficult thing to do: a friend who went through gender reassignment last year asked us to do it for a time (just in relation to them) and I felt like 'WHA!?' and I kept getting it wrong and it was bad because every time I did I felt rude. But it stuck with me and now I shall try it for proper and forever and extend the courtesy to everyone.
I think the genders have come to mean too much: they are laden with bizzarre connotations that we all shouldn't have to deal with. So this is my small way of saying 'let's have less of that'.
Wish me luck. And if you choose to join in the challenge: good luck to you.


11 comments:

  1. Anonymous2 January 2013 at 04:24

    Wish you all the best for 2013!

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  2. Jo Waterhouse2 January 2013 at 05:50

    And the same to you. x

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  3. Anonymous2 January 2013 at 08:28

    a happy new year dear jo!

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  4. Matariki2 January 2013 at 23:41

    That is a great idea. After having a baby I became hyper aware of how the world is gendered from such an early age in books, toys, clothing, colours etc. It's bananas.

    My only resolution is to try and be less shy and to give more compliments. To say nice things instead of just thinking them.

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  5. Jo Waterhouse3 January 2013 at 13:06

    Hello Matariki and Evdokia - Happy New Year to you both. I think your resolution sounds perfect Matariki: and you're off to a flying start.

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  6. Nina3 January 2013 at 14:14

    Good luck. And don't be hard on yourself if you stumble at first. It would be odd if you didn't. Gender is the first thing asked when a child is born, we are raised according to and so on. And it is hard to step out of that box. But I wish we all did. I am definitely in!

    Happy New Year!

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  7. Jo Waterhouse4 January 2013 at 02:51

    I'm stumbling Nina - this language really isn't built for the task. Also feel like I've been saying more things that are gendery: have called Jack 'my boy' twice! What a nob. But I do feel pretty determined. Glad you're in.

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  8. mieke willems5 January 2013 at 02:45

    loving this photo!!!
    happy new year jo!

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  9. Jo Waterhouse7 January 2013 at 13:06

    So glad you like the photo Mieke - means a lot from you.

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  10. Maeve19 January 2013 at 13:34

    Very late to the party here, but happy New year, all!

    Jo, I really admire your resolution and definitely see how difficult it is. Our language is just so clunky when you try not to gender people. One thing I'd add though, is that "sex change" is widely regarded as an offensive term by the trans community. I realise this might not be the case for your friend, but as this is a public blog, I thought I should point it out. Gender reassignment is more accepted now.

    Trans Media Watch has more guidance and info: http://www.transmediawatch.org/guidance_terminology.html

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  11. Jo Waterhouse19 January 2013 at 16:09

    Thank you Maeve, I'm going to change it.
    Happy New Year to you too.
    x

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