Topic: Gendered Language

A TikTok video advocating for terms like "the-bies" instead of babies and "birthing people" instead of mothers is discussed. John Dvorak recounts a story from 1986 involving a PC World editor who insisted on using "congress-person" instead of "representative" to signal gender neutrality, a practice he views as early virtue signaling.

The push for specific pronoun usage is characterized as a Marxist power game designed to reorder social hierarchies and implement mass programming. Since pronouns are typically used when a person is not present, the enforcement of these rules is viewed as a form of linguistic mind control. A satirical solution is proposed to use the term "comrade" for everyone, as it is inherently gender-neutral and egalitarian.

The cultural shift toward gender-neutral terminology is mocked through the invention of the term "seeding person" as a male counterpart to "birthing person." The importance of Father's Day is noted as having increased in recent years. This follows a period where both Mother's and Father's Day were treated with less sincerity in public discourse.

Amy Klobuchar utilized a debate tactic of highlighting her own physical stature and competence, comparing herself to the 5'4" James Madison. A linguistic observation noted that both Klobuchar and Warren used gender-specific pronouns like "she" when referring to a future president, rather than gender-neutral terms. Despite a gaffe where she appeared to forget a friend's name, Klobuchar was identified as a candidate with a distinct, albeit unconventional, television presence.

The hosts continue reviewing the UC Davis language guide, focusing on myths about bisexuality and the prohibition of phrases like "you guys" or "fat ass." The guide claims that calling oneself a "fat ass" devalues fat bodies and reinforces harmful assumptions. The hosts argue these guidelines are an example of extreme political correctness in academia.

A prediction suggests that Apple may integrate "socially correct" auto-correct features into future iOS updates. This would involve automatically suggesting gender-neutral terms like "folks" instead of "guys," reflecting broader cultural shifts in language usage.

The emergence of the term "Latinx" is analyzed as a social justice effort to de-genderize the Spanish language and dismantle the patriarchy. Critics argue that replacing masculine and feminine endings with an "X" ruins the musicality of the language. The movement is described as "unhinged" for attempting to rewrite the core linguistic structure of gendered languages like Spanish and French.

A discussion on gendered language covers the replacement of "guys" with "folks" or "y'all" and "manpower" with "workforce." An anecdote is shared about an editor at PC World rejecting the word "representative" as sexist, insisting on "spokesperson" instead. The hosts conclude that these linguistic trends reflect a broader marginalization of straight white males on college campuses.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Pride Center released a guide requesting that faculty and students use gender-neutral pronouns such as "ze," "hir," and "xe." The guide encourages professors to ask students for their preferred pronouns during roll call to create a more inclusive environment for non-binary individuals. The initiative has sparked debate regarding the etymology of these terms and the role of diversity scholarship in academia.

The concept of "in-groups" and "out-groups" is explored through the lens of political slogans and corporate language. Martin O'Malley's apology for saying "all lives matter" is cited as an example of failing to use the correct group code. Dvorak shares a story from his time at PC Magazine regarding PC World's insistence on using the term "spokesperson" over "representative" to avoid perceived sexist language.

A growing movement among younger activists and media figures on networks like MSNBC advocates for "gender-neutral language," such as removing the word "woman" from discussions about abortion to be inclusive of trans men. Critics view this as a manifestation of "cultural Marxism" intended to confuse social categories and potentially lower birth rates. The discussion suggests that the fear of causing offense has led to a "conceptual murk" in public discourse.