No more “chestfeeding”: Senate votes to ban gender-neutral language
<p><span>The Australian Senate has just passed One Nation’s call to ban the use of “distorted” gender-neutral language such as “chestfeeding” in official government materials.</span><br /><br /><span>One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts put forward the motion in the Upper House on Wednesday.</span><br /><br /><span>The Morrison government voted to approve the ban, only narrowly though at 33-31.</span><br /><br /><span>Tasmanian Liberal Senator Jonathon “was Jonno” Duniam read a statement before the vote that outlined the government's stance on the proposal.</span><br /><br /><span>“The government supports the rights of individuals to make use of any pronouns or descriptors they prefer, while encouraging respect for the preferences of others,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“The government will use language in communications that is appropriate for the purpose of those communications and is respectful of its audiences.”</span></p>
<p><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840349/pauline-hanson-chestfeeding.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f05b6e80cad64a0d8f3534369bfef56f" /></em></p>
<p><em>The Australian Government will not use gender-neutral language such as "chestfeeding". Image: Shutterstock. </em></p>
<p><span>Mr Roberts’ motion stated that “our fundamental biology and relationships are represented through the following descriptors – mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, boy, girl, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, female, male, man, woman, lady, gentleman, Mr, Mrs, Ms, sir, madam, dad, mum, husband, wife”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Broad scale genuine inclusion cannot be achieved through distortions of biological and relational descriptors,” it said.</span><br /><br /><span>“An individual’s right to choose their descriptors and pronouns for personal use must not dehumanise the human race and undermine gender.”</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Roberts referred to a doctor from Queensland who “reports incidences of young children feeling stressed and panicked about whether it is okay to use the words boy and girl, and pushing gender-neutral language is no replacement for appropriate emotional and psychological support for children while growing up”.</span><br /><br /><span>The motion asked the federal government to “reject the use of distorted language such as gestational/non-gestational parent, chest-feeding, human milk, lactating parent, menstruators, birthing/non-birthing parent, and ensure all federal government and federal government funded agencies do not include these terms in their material, including legislation, websites, employee documentation and training materials”.</span><br /><br /><span>Greens Senator Janet Rice asked to speak but was reportedly denied permission.</span><br /><br /><span>She quickly took to Twitter to slam the Morrison government for voting in favour of the “bigoted” motion.</span><br /><br /><span>“I expect this sh*t from One Nation,” she wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“But the Morrison Government just voted to support One Nation’s disgusting, bigoted Senate motion trying to deny the identity of trans and non binary people.</span><br /><br /><span>“So the motion passed. What happened to governing for all Australians? Scumbags!”</span><br /><br /><span>Just last week, staff at the Australian National University were requested to begin using “parent-inclusive language” such as “chestfeeding” instead of “breastfeeding” and “human milk” rather than “mother’s milk”.</span></p>
