A suggestion that University of Tennessee students be encouraged to use gender neutral pronouns is drawing more critical commentary from Republican lawmakers, reports The Tennessean. There’s talk about the Legislature doing something about it.
And David Fowler, who heads the Family Action Council of Tennessee, is urging members of the Christian Conservative organization to call UT President Joe DePietro — and legislators — to urge the “gender neutral policy” be rescinded.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said on Facebook that the post, written by the director of UT’s Pride Center, was “the clearest example of political correctness run amok that I have seen in quite some time.” Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he expected the General Assembly to “weigh in on the issue” in January if UT doesn’t “take quick action” first.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, suggested in a statement that the Senate Education and Government Operations committees should “investigate and review” the issue.
…Watson said the post “suggests a lack of institutional control.”
“I find it difficult to believe that such a ridiculous suggestion as gender-neutral pronouns would be published on a university website without leadership’s approval,” Watson said. “Tennessee taxpayers should not expect to be paying for this kind of stuff.”
…U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, a UT graduate and Republican who represents the Knoxville area, wrote on Facebook that he is “personally embarrassed by this stupid revision of personal pronouns by someone who obviously had too much time on his or her hands.”
“This was a ridiculous overreaction to the dictates of political correctness and has made UT a laughingstock across the nation,” Duncan said.
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Note: Previous unhappy legislators post HERE.
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Note 2: Fowler’s email is below.
Email from David Fowler:
The University of Tennessee Office for Diversity and Inclusion is asking students and faculty to use gender neutral pronouns in order “to create a more inclusive campus,” multiple media outlets report.
In other words, UT is using our tax dollars to discourage people from thinking it is okay to call a man a “he” and a woman a “she.” Of course, UT’s form of inclusiveness excludes people who think a man is a “he” and a woman is a “she!”
This not just some crazy thing that will pass. It reflects the new worldview running higher education in Tennessee, namely the view that there are no differences between men and women and that sex is not binary based on x and y chromosomes, but some kaleidoscope of variations imagined in one’s head.
Since no one on the UT Board of Trustees has said anything about it to this point, it is incumbent on us—we the people—to say something.
Please do three things:
1. Call Dr. Joe DePietro’s (pronounced Dee-pee-eight-row) office at 865-974-2241 and tell him that you “would like to have the gender neutral policy rescinded.” If they tell you that no one is mandated to use gender neutral terms, then tell them that you understand that, but you want it withdrawn as even a suggestion.
2. Click this link to send an email to your legislator requesting that he or she let UT know this is unacceptable. Legislators set the budget for UT and can have a powerful voice if they want to use it. Scroll to the bottom and fill in your name and address on the form, click the “Take Action” button.
3. Forward this email to everyone you know