Well, I have to say...this seems a bit ridiculous. Berkeley California has decided to ban gendered language like, manhole, firemen, manpower and similar words. According to CNN, The city voted Tuesday night to replace gendered terms in its municipal codes, like "manhole" and "manpower," with gender-neutral ones like "maintenance hole" and "human effort."
According to Berkeley City, It wasn't a controversial topic and there was little discussion or conversation in the matter. Council member Rigel Robinson, the bill's primary author said, "There's power in language...This is a small move, but it matters". There's no doubting there's power in language but this seems a little bit extreme?
"Having a male-centric municipal code is inaccurate and not reflective of our reality," Robinson said. "Women and non-binary individuals are just as entitled to accurate representation. Our laws are for everyone, and our municipal code should reflect that."
What are your thoughts? Do you think this a good move or does this seem a bit extreme?