Aired Jul 13, 2023

The Evolution of Language

The way we talk about various aspects of our identity changes all the time. For some people, changes like this come easily. For others, however, they may be slow to adapt or even resistant to change.

We hosted a conversation about this article as a part of PFLAG Connects and Something to Talk About Live on Thursday, November 10. Did you miss it? Watch it this Thursday, July 13, 2023!

Article: ‘Pregnant woman’ replaced with ‘pregnant people’ on CDC flu vaccine advice website

Source: The National Desk

Author: Zachary Rodgers

Questions for Discussion:

1. What do you think of the shift from “pregnant women” to “pregnant people” on the CDC website? In your opinion is this language change newsworthy?
2. Can you identify other ways that language has shifted and changed over time to be more inclusive? Are there some changes that have been easier for you to incorporate into conversation than others?
3. If someone came to you and expressed discomfort about a shift in language like this, what would you say to them? Can you think of any resources that might help them work through that discomfort?

Bonus Resources: Check out Y’all: the Most Inclusive of All Pronouns by Maud Newton which appeared in the New York Times Magazine and So You’re Presenting at PFLAG National, a resource created by PFLAG that we share with our vendors and guest presenters. 

About Our Guests:

Jackson Alder, Senior Digital Strategist, PFLAG National

Jamie Henkel, Learning & Inclusion Manager, PFLAG National

Liz Owen, Director of Communications, PFLAG National

Ways to Watch:

Available on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Something to Talk About Live is a series designed by PFLAG National’s Straight for Equality program to create conversation about LGBTQ+ issues. Each week we offer an article on LGBTQ+ topics and suggest a few questions you can use to lead a discussion with your ERG, community group, or PFLAG chapter.