The United Nations has issued a list of terms it deems unacceptable, including ‘husband/wife’ and ‘boyfriend/girlfriend’, to be replaced with ‘spouse’ and ‘partner’ respectively, according to a meme generated by UN Women.
The list is an attempt to erase to promote gender-neutral language. helping to “create a more equal world”, according to the UN.
What you say matters.
Help create a more equal world by using gender-neutral language if you're unsure about someone's gender or are referring to a group. https://t.co/QQRFPY4VRn #GenerationEquality via@UN_Women pic.twitter.com/koxoAZZuxq
— United Nations (@UN) May 18, 2020
Twitter users were not impressed with the move however, with one famous rapper saying he remembers when he used to respect this organisation. “We all make mistakes.”, he added.
Lmaooo. My reply has more likes than the original tweet.
Delete your organisation.
— ZUBY: (@ZubyMusic) May 18, 2020
Another user said it was “creepy” that the UN was allegedly trying to control people’s language, whilst a fathers’ rights group also called into question the apparent irony of having a UN Women’s group at all, given the lack of a men’s group and their preference for gender-neutral language.
Where is gender neutrality if we have only @UN_Women and no UN_Men.
First can you change @Un_Women as #Un_Person or #Un_Human that will be great.
Nutrality should be from all genders .
Can you also also change Mother earth to Great earth and all ??
— Father's Love is Kids Right (@MPKchaitu) May 18, 2020
“Are we still allowed to say manhole cover?” joked another.