Brothers and Sisters and.............Gender Queer?

[mixie]

I am having a discussion (Read snarkfest) with a friend of mine who is a gender queer minister who is cautioning other ministers not to use the terms "Brothers and Sisters" from the pulpit.  She/he says it denies those who don't identify in a gender that way.   So I've been asking and asking (this is a pet peeve of mine for years)  What other terms of endearment would you add to "brothers and sisters"  to be more inclusive?  And they seem to want to reject brother and sister,  on principle. 

To me that is trying to reject those of us who happily identify as binary gender and rejecting our experience and comfort because others don't feel comfortable hearing "brothers and sisters" because they feel left out.

So why not ADD more terms of endearment?   But no one seems to have an answer and it's driving me nuts.

[Renee D]

Sounds like the person wants others to conform to what they want to hear while disregarding the majority that are ok with the terms brothers and sisters.   And if they don't wish to even just add another term, then they are not wanting any compromise. 


I would likely suggest the term "sheep" at this point, lol.


I have no issue with gender queer, but they have no business trying to erase the identities of binary identified people just as we have no business trying to erase theirs.

[Annah]

I say sisters and brothers. It's just one of those things. I do not believe God is a gender but I also know when its going overboard on gender inclusivity. "God said God conformed the hearts because God wanted God's nature to be within Godself because God was God God God."

There is a way to say things that do not make the presentation seem to be disjointed.

I usually say Sisters, brothers, and everyone under Christ." You cover the bases without killing off the identity of those who wishes to be a male or female.

Its like LGBT. Technically, you could say LGBTQIAPFA. But I don't. I just say LGBT. Maybe it's wrong but it just sounds better without stringout out 4 minutes of acronyms.

Its with everything in worship. For example, to observe those who are physically disabled, I say "May those rise who are able...may those rise in spirit." Rather than saying, "May those who wish to rise and I understand those who cannot and we recognize your differences so rise in spirit."

[Beverley]

I would likely suggest the term "sheep" at this point, lol.

[Renee D]

Its ok, I have christian friends.

[mixie]

Well it turned into a facebook mess.   I pissed someone off but still have been not able to elicit a phrase.   To me it's rude and patronizing to suggest that cisgendered people are oppressive simply because they are used to using binary gender terms.   I've been asking and asking for people to suggest new terms. 

Some of the complaints that the gender queer people I know have are when people use "he or she" to talk about them.  As if they've been insulted.  It's annoying to me the way some people want everyone to conform to their paradigm instead of trying to create new terms or finding ways to be more inclusive. It's not the binary community's job to create new terminology to avoid offending you.  If you want your own terms create them.  It will be pretty easy to get people to start using them.

Seems like people just want to make others feel bad.

[Annah]

Everyone gets offended at everything. It's the nature of the beast...if someone gets offended at what I say or how I say it, I apologize and move on....i cannot expect to make everyone happy all the time.  Sorry you are going through that.

[Renee D]

Well it turned into a facebook mess.   I pissed someone off but still have been not able to elicit a phrase.   To me it's rude and patronizing to suggest that cisgendered people are oppressive simply because they are used to using binary gender terms.   I've been asking and asking for people to suggest new terms. 

Some of the complaints that the gender queer people I know have are when people use "he or she" to talk about them.  As if they've been insulted.  It's annoying to me the way some people want everyone to conform to their paradigm instead of trying to create new terms or finding ways to be more inclusive. It's not the binary community's job to create new terminology to avoid offending you.  If you want your own terms create them.  It will be pretty easy to get people to start using them.

Seems like people just want to make others feel bad.

Oh, a lot of them have come up with terms, but it seems like they all have their own preferences for which ones they want to be used. If only they could come up with a standard set, but it just seems so many people want to be a snowflake too much.  Me, I just use they, them, and theirs and their name if I am addressing them personally. If they get offended by that, then maybe they should have a set of instructions laminated and attached to their collar for our convenient perusal.

[Jeneva]

Children?

As far as brother and sister goes, is there a genderqueer term for siblings?  If so then could that be used?  But in the end it isn't being used to divide, but unite so why does it matter so much.