Wagging the dog and missing the point
Mar. 5th, 2010 10:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreaminghopeThis week, the Canadian federal government proposed to review the wording of the national anthem. In particular, they were considering returning the phrase "true patriot love in all thy sons command" back to the original words "thou dost in us command" in the spirit of greater gender-neutrality.
The dog was wagged; the news coverage of the possible change overshadowed the budget discussion, and the public outcry that followed gave the government good reason to back down on the proposal.
Words do matter.
A game of "one of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesn't belong":
1. Some of those people are pregnant.
2. Some of those humans are pregnant.
3. Some of those folks are pregnant.
4. Some of those men are pregnant.
"Men" isn't gender-neutral. Neither is "sons". It is true that our national anthem could be more inclusive.
But - and it's a big Conservative butt - we're just talking about changing one phrase in one song. Instead of pay equity and a complete national daycare program - things that could create real changes for real Canadian women - the Harper government wants to spend money debating a word. Or, they don't, really. Perhaps I am cynical, but I think they achieved exactly what they were aiming for: they distracted from the budget and made an empty gesture towards equality, and they changed nothing.
The dog was wagged; the news coverage of the possible change overshadowed the budget discussion, and the public outcry that followed gave the government good reason to back down on the proposal.
Words do matter.
A game of "one of these things is not like the others; one of these things just doesn't belong":
1. Some of those people are pregnant.
2. Some of those humans are pregnant.
3. Some of those folks are pregnant.
4. Some of those men are pregnant.
"Men" isn't gender-neutral. Neither is "sons". It is true that our national anthem could be more inclusive.
But - and it's a big Conservative butt - we're just talking about changing one phrase in one song. Instead of pay equity and a complete national daycare program - things that could create real changes for real Canadian women - the Harper government wants to spend money debating a word. Or, they don't, really. Perhaps I am cynical, but I think they achieved exactly what they were aiming for: they distracted from the budget and made an empty gesture towards equality, and they changed nothing.
