TO THE EDITOR:
I was quite perplexed after reading the letter on Thursday entitled “Petty ‘feminist’ complaints are trivial, a waste of time.”
Therefore, allow me to address some of my opponent’s claims: First of all, I’m not complaining because I’m not successful. I’m extremely successful, as are most students that gained admittance to Carolina. Secondly, I’m not “complaining” at all. Why should my request to be acknowledged in common dialogue be considered a complaint? Thirdly, no, I’m not saying that gendered language will restrict a woman’s personal success at all. What I’m saying is that it will continue to affect the way society views women, because as a very close friend pointed out, language is a reflection of the deep-seeded ideas that a person holds. And this isn’t just about women, it’s about everyone.
The homosexual and transgender community suffers due to gendered language in the same way that women do, and I’m sure they aren’t pleased about it either. For instance, why do we refer to heterosexual people as “straight” and homosexual people as “gay”? Why is it the “straight” thing to do to be heterosexual? Is there something morally wrong with being homosexual? Some people might argue yes, but I argue no, and having such biased language in our society will continue to oppress minority groups, whether people realize it outright or not. It is all connected, and it affects everyone. So see your own self-worth, and never be ashamed to demand that which is rightfully yours.
Katie Varner
Junior
History
