Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00455)

Ann E. Bermingham wrote:
>
> It has occurred to me that the vigorous discussion regarding gender-neutral
> language came out of one issue being raised - and that was the
> modernization of the language of the TS objects, as well as other material
> presented to the public.

	I agree. The key to making it work is to take the extra effort to make
the language clean rather than awkward. I removed all the
gender-specific language from the by-laws of the New York Theosophical
Society, and did it cleanly enough that nobody noticed it. Instead of
say, substituting "Our father who art in heaven" with "Our father/mother
who is in heaven", how about "Our parent who is in heaven"?

	Going to Theosophy, certainly replacing "Man" with "Humanity" will go a
long way. And if anybody can come up with a non-awkward, non-gender
specific way of saying "the Brotherhood of Humanity", I will support
that person 100% in getting the English version of the Objects changed.

	Bart Lidofsky