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New York Times

Think Twice Before Using These Words

Rise Above Your Bully Ideas for Iran To the Editor: 'These Words Are Vanishing in a 'Free Speech' Administration' (news article, March 11) sends a fearsome message and shows an assault on a very basic right of expression. How can democracy flourish in an atmosphere in which the very use of a word is threatening our peace of mind? Are we heading to a new form of Newspeak? Jackie Lavalle Queens To the Editor: It's outrageous that the federal government is banning or limiting so many essential words from documents, including the word 'women,' along with 'gender,' 'sex,' 'underserved' and 'pregnant people.' The word 'men' is — of course — fine, as long as it is not in the phrase 'men who have sex with men.' Women are more than half of the population! We pay a lot in taxes, and share many needs and concerns, such as health issues and a greater probability of low wages, poverty and experience of domestic violence and sexual assault. Two people working on health care grants have told me that mentions of women, as well as 'reproductive health,' have to come out of grant reports and proposals — despite the criminal neglect of women's health by the medical profession for most of our history and continuing into the present. Evidently, a group of unmentionable second-class citizens should stop competing with men for jobs, political office, influence in family decisions or anything else, and instead have many more children, but without informed medical care, education or outreach. Mary King Portland, Ore. To the Editor: Truly Orwellian. And stupid. I guess the police can't set up 'barriers' anymore, nor can they help crime 'victims.' And presumably people can no longer 'belong' to a group or 'political' party. Are people with 'disabilities' supposed to cease to exist? That could explain why there's no need for anything to be 'accessible.' Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.