In another small but meaningful victory in the war red states are starting to wage on wokeness, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders just introduced an executive order that will mandate the use of gender-specific terms when referring to women, rather than gender-neutral words that she and many other perceive as being anti-women.
Gov. Sanders’ order on the matter comes as a direct attack on the impulse behind the sort of “inclusive” and “gender-neutral” terms that have taken over communications from governments, schools, and businesses as wokeness has infiltrated nearly every workplace.
So, using what power she had, Sanders struck back and decided to “prohibit the use of woke, anti-women words for official state government business.” In the executive order, she said, “The science is clear and real; There are things only women can do, like perform the miracle of birth. Government should reject language that ignores, undermines, and erases women; Government should celebrate gender distinctions between men and women — not erase them.”
Speaking about the executive order and saying, “Today, we’re taking a stand against woke nonsense,” Gov. Sanders also said, “Enough trying to erase women and girls. Enough trying to erase our biological differences from men.”
Sanders also described what terms are banned under the order, terms such as “pregnant people,” “birth giver” and “laboring person.” She described those newly introduced, “woke” phrases as “nonsense terms” during her press conference.
Fox News Digital also quoted Sanders as saying, “We are all here to say enough. Enough trying to erase women and girls. Enough denying our biological differences from men. Enough of the craziness taking over our country.”
It added, “They’re using nonsense words to erase women and girls — and more importantly, to erase our voices and experiences. Today, we’re taking a stand against woke nonsense… It’s the Left that decided that ‘woman’ is a dirty word. It’s the Left that decided that we needed to toss out basic biology — and basic grammar along with it.”
This isn’t the first time Gov. Sanders hasn’t taken what she describes as a stand for women. Posting about Team Biden’s stance on the matter on Twitter in February, she said, “I’m the first woman to lead my state. Biden is the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t tell you what a woman is. Everyday we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols. It’s crazy, and it’s wrong.”
I’m the first woman to lead my state. Biden is the first man to surrender his presidency to a woke mob that can’t tell you what a woman is.
Everyday we are told that we must partake in their rituals, salute their flags, and worship their false idols. It’s crazy, and it’s wrong.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) February 8, 2023
Examples of the “woke” language against which Sanders and others rail come from Michigan State University, which recently released an “inclusive” language guide. That guide suggested “in winter and spring, avoid references to majority religious imagery and language, such as the word ‘merry’ or ‘Christmas trees,’ ‘wreaths,’ ‘holly,’ ‘bells,’ ‘gifts,’ ‘reindeer,’ ‘bunnies,’ ‘eggs’ and ‘chicks.’” The woke words guide went on to add, “Use terms like ‘wishing you a wonderful winter/spring break’ or ‘best wishes for the new year.’”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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