Speech-codes

We’ve all heard horror stories about speech-codes in liberal academia, where conservative students are persecuted for merely expressing themselves.

However, here’s a striking example of political correctness run amuck at an evangelical seminary:

In your writing at Denver Seminary, you will be required to use gender-neutral language.

In older English, still used in some parts of the English-speaking world, generic nouns later referred to by pronouns used a form of the pronoun “he.” (E.g., “The student should bring his Bible to class.” Today, particularly in the United States, there are increasing numbers of individuals who find this kind of language archaic, confusing and/or offensive. There are ways, however, to avoid using the masculine pronoun in contexts like this, and thus make the language gender-neutral.

http://www.denverseminary.edu/media/student-handbook.pdf

I’ll just venture a few quick comments:

1.Notice that, in the way this speech-code is worded, it not only prohibits the use of the “offensive” masculine pronoun, but it prohibits the use of gender-specific pronouns of either sex (except in artificially compound constructions: “he or she”; “his or her”).

Thus, to be in compliance with the terms of this speech-code, if I were to write a term paper on Christina Rossetti, I’d be downgraded if I referred her as her. Instead, I’d have to contrive unisex circumlocutions to avoid referring to Christina Rossetti as a woman.

Or is it okay to use feminine pronouns, but not masculine pronouns?

2.And beyond that reductio ad absurdum of political correctness, there is the larger issue. Why does an Evangelical seminary discriminate against students who might wish, for either stylistic or theological reasons, to use gender-specific language?

Notice that I’m not discussing the merits of the unisex language debate. I’m not discussing which side is right or wrong on this issue.

I’m just wondering why Denver Seminary doesn’t believe in a minimal degree of academic freedom for students on what ought to be a point of Christian liberty.

If they require the faculty to be egalitarians, that’s their prerogative. But why can’t they permit a bit more diversity among the student body?

When did this become so all-important that the use of gender-specific language on the part of a student is a punishable offense?

That strikes me as oddly legalistic for an evangelical institution in the Baptist tradition. Don’t Baptists traditionally believe in greater freedom of conscience?

3.I also wonder where they draw the line. If a student were to quote a line from Shakespeare which happens to use gender-specific language, would he be downgraded? Must he paraphrase Shakespeare to bring the bard into retroactive compliance with the speech-code?

What if a student writes a term paper about St. Paul. Is he allowed to use masculine singular pronouns in reference to the Apostle?

4.Incidentally, isn’t there something dare I say paternalistic about this speech-code? Are women such fainting violets that they will wither at the sight of a masculine singular pronoun? Do they need to be protected against this body-blow to their frail sensibilities?

5.It also makes me wonder how Denver alumni could survive as missionaries in sexist nations. Would the culture shock be too much for them?

Denver Seminary is a Christian institution with some really fine faculty. It’s a pity to see it degenerate into fanaticism on this particular issue.