In the knee-jerk response world that we live in, it’s almost anathema to make concessions. Yet when it comes to gender neutrality – one of the most hot-button topics ever – I can see the other side. For instance, I concede that certain occupations should deploy gender neutrality in their descriptions.

Not all people who are in law enforcement are men. Therefore, the term “police officer” is a much better, more accurate, and certainly more respectful term than “policeman.” In a similar fashion, I believe firefighter is more appropriate than fireman.

Where gender neutrality goes wrong, however, is when we start to apply them with the agenda to distort history, language, and culture.

Ever the city to deploy sound reasoning and objectivity, California’s Berkeley voted to ban gender-specific terminologies in its municipal code. Sparking headlines internationally was one change in particular: manhole is now a “maintenance hole.”

Naturally, this policy shift aroused much humor. In this context, man means human; simply, you can fit an average-sized historically male human through the opening. Logically, if you can fit an average-sized man through there, you can easily fit an average-sized woman.

Plus, calling it a “womanhole” would sound incredibly vulgar.

Yet the agenda behind gender neutrality is never satisfied. For some folks who advocate such policies, they may have their heart in the right place. However, they don’t realize that what they’re pushing for is detrimental to women.

 

Gender Neutrality Has Only One Victim: Women

Gender neutrality protocols purport to uphold women’s rights. However, they are doing the exact opposite. If we ignore the biological realities of gender, we risk disrupting not only our economy but society at large.

Here’s what I mean: some occupations are really only suited for men. These include vast swathes of blue-collar work, including maintenance-related occupations. Thus, I’m not against calling a manhole exactly that. If you think about it, sanitation work is really a man’s job.

Plus, that dignifies and celebrates women. Who in their right mind would send women to do the dirty work that men ought to do? We are to protect our women. Anything less is unnatural, violating the universal human ethic.

But gender neutrality serves to strip that concept away, imposing the idea that we’re all the same. Let’s say that’s the case. Then the next time I go on a cruise and attend a mandatory emergency-evacuation training seminar, I better not hear the phrase, “women and children first!”

If we’re all the same, we should suffer the same too, right?