[Diortarkivoff]

His, hers, hens: Swedes' gender-neutral push gains ground

Sweden's bid to ensure equality between the sexes has reached another milestone with the gender-neutral "hen" being included in the online version of the country's National Encyclopedia.

The pronoun was officially added to the encyclopedia this month as an alternative to the gendered pronouns "han" and "hon" (he and she), according to Slate magazine.

The word, pronounced like the bird in English, is defined as a "proposed gender-neutral personal pronoun instead of he [han in Swedish] and she [hon]".

It comes as debate continues to rage in the Nordic country where activists are campaigning to obliterate gender roles.

Breaking down gender roles is a core mission in the national curriculum for preschools, underpinned by the theory that society gives boys an unfair edge.

Many preschools have hired "gender pedagogues" to help staff identify language and behaviour that risk reinforcing stereotypes, while at the taxpayer-funded Egalia preschool in Stockholm, staff avoid using words such as "him" or "her" and address the 33 children as "friends" rather than girls and boys.

This month a Swedish toy catalogue published pictures of a pram-pushing Spiderman, a girl riding a toy racing car and another boy standing in front of a toy stove cooking a make-believe meal.



Kaj Wiberg, the CEO of Leklust, the company behind the catalogue, told the Swedish newspaper Metro that it was time to move forward.
"Gender roles are an outdated thing," he said.

"I'm 71 years old, and those of us who have worked in this industry for a while know that boys play with doll houses. We know that boys can play with Barbie dolls."

The catalogue photographs have sparked discussion on social media, including from prominent Swedish feminist blogger "Lady Dahmer" who encouraged readers to email the company to show their support.

"The problem with toy stores and their catalogues is that they're selling a concept, an idea about boys and girls and what kind of qualities and interests they should have," she told the Swedish English-language newspaper The Local.

"It's about money because as long as they can fool us into believing boys and girls are fundamentally different, they can keep selling us twice as much.

"Children have a strong need to fit in, not stand out. When they see what is 'right' for their gender, it becomes less likely that they dare to break the norms."
According to Slate magazine, the Swedish Bowling Association also has announced plans to merge male and female bowling tournaments to make the sport more gender-neutral.

It comes as a publishing house releases a a children's book, Kivi och Monster-hund (Kivi and the Monsterdog) which features the pronoun "hen" throughout. It tells the story of Kivi, who wants a dog for "hen's" birthday.

But not everyone is embracing the new gender-neutral terminology, Slate reports.

Jan Guillou, one of Sweden's most well-known authors and a critic of the new word, said in a recent interview that proponents of "hen" were "feminist activists who want to destroy our language", Slate reported. Others said it could be psychologically and socially damaging for children.
Link to article

this is the last post I am going to correct the formatting of. If this forum cannot use a line break as a line break then I'm done with it. All posts hereafter will be goobledegook crud. I mean, how hard can it be?

[crumoursegemo]

Link to article

this is the last post I am going to correct the formatting of. If this forum cannot use a line break as a line break then I'm done with it. All posts hereafter will be goobledegook crud. I mean, how hard can it be?

I am at the same point myself. Even dragging the text over the line breaks are lost. Granted we do have a slumlord for a board owner.

[Lebybynctisee]

I am at the same point myself. Even dragging the text over the line breaks are lost. Granted we do have a slumlord for a board owner.

What the hell is this?
I've had my issues with J6P in the past, but this is a bit much, don't you think?

dys

[offemyJuccete]

Yes we are all called FRIENDS.......hahaha.......as opposed to him or her....hahahah......aaaaahhh

[feseEscaple]

They also have this creature in Sweden.

[soryalomop]

if you dont have the words you can never become conscious.

if you don't become consious you can NEVER rebel.

[QRhnNSg9]

From the article:

"I'm 71 years old, and those of us who have worked in this industry for a while know that boys play with doll houses. We know that boys can play with Barbie dolls."

Yes, these boys are known as future fags.

Any boys here know someone growing up who played with doll houses? I sure as shit didn't.

[verybigf]

i don't think it's that big a deal.

English has the same situation. if you're referring to someone in the singular and you don't know their gender, you use "him/her" or "they" - the first is clumsy, the second is sloppy.

sounds like the Grammarians got around to fixing something that has been obvious for centuries.

[UtidaBrar]

Hens? Why don't they just cut to the chase and call people "food units?" The production of units of energy to provide food
on the table for all future International elite reptilians.

[cenRealliat]

From the article:

"I'm 71 years old, and those of us who have worked in this industry for a while know that boys play with doll houses. We know that boys can play with Barbie dolls."

Yes, these boys are known as future fags.

Any boys here know someone growing up who played with doll houses? I sure as shit didn't.

I didn't either but I did know one boy who played with Barbie and he sure as hell turned out to be gay. Coincidentally, he was raised by two women and no father figure (with a penis anyway).

[Diortarkivoff]

I'm wondering what word they might come up with for the english version. What combo could you come up with.

[secondmortgagek]

I'm wondering what word they might come up with for the english version. What combo could you come up with.

The 24th Edition of the Newspeak Dictionary was just released last week... not many copies have gotten out yet but I have one. I'm still looking through it - I'm sure the answer to your question is in there.

[Beriilosal]

I'm wondering what word they might come up with for the english version. What combo could you come up with.

_________________________________ it

[soryalomop]

I'm wondering what word they might come up with for the english version. What combo could you come up with.

we already have it.

have ever read text messages between kids nowadays?

I can barely decipher 1/3 of it.

[Optipitle]

I'm wondering what word they might come up with for the english version. What combo could you come up with.

the default is 'they', a plural non-gender-specific pronoun, used to indicate the singular.

along the lines of his/her, he-she ... God knows.

given how many words are in the English language, i'm surprised the English teachers haven't already fixed this. what do they DO at conventions, anyway ?

[dosugxxx]

the default is 'they', a plural non-gender-specific pronoun, used to indicate the singular.

along the lines of his/her, he-she ... God knows.

given how many words are in the English language, i'm surprised the English teachers haven't already fixed this. what do they DO at conventions, anyway ?

Agreed. This really is about grammar (and not gender roles), and it's amazing we still need to write him/her, he/she, "he or she", etc.

[DraidodaRip]

Yes we are all called FRIENDS.......hahaha.......as opposed to him or her....hahahah......aaaaahhh

Just go with "comrades." It worked for Stalin.

[hechicxxrr]

In the Philippines there is no such words for he/she him/her. Was a bit tough to get around it at first because we are used to knowing who one is referring to in conversation. I guess to learn the words of difference at an age of 30 is a whole new learning curve. 5 years later she is better but does struggle at times.

[Diortarkivoff]

well I was woindering what combo they would come up with in english. The english words are girl and boy. The swedish word for girls is hon and for boy is he. They combined the words and got hen. So if they combine the english words what will they get?