The Vermont Department of Health has advised residents to adopt gender-neutral language when referring to their children, opting for terms like "child" or "kid" instead of "son" or "daughter". This move aims to promote inclusivity among American families.
In a Facebook post, the health department emphasized that language matters, especially when discussing family dynamics. They encouraged residents to use terms that encompass diverse family structures.
A accompanying flier, "Inclusive Language for Families", suggested replacing "daughter" or "son" with "child" or "kid", and refraining from using "extended family" to describe grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Instead, they should be referred to as simply "family".
The department argued that using "household members" may not fully capture the complexity of modern families, including those with divorced or incarcerated parents, and stepsiblings. They proposed using "family members" as a more inclusive alternative.
While some Facebook users praised the initiative, others criticized the department for focusing on what they saw as trivial matters. However, supporters like Victoria Yo and Margaret Luce highlighted the importance of inclusive language in making foster children and non-traditional families feel valued.