A new diversity and inclusion training by the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado tells cadets that they should use all gender-inclusive terms and should avoid terms like “mom” and “dad.”
The presentation was titled, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do,” and it was publicized by Fox News Digital. The presentation informs cadets that they should use “person-centered” and gender-neutral language terms when talking to or describing others.
It also notes that some families might be “headed by single parents, grandparents, foster parents, two moms, two dads, etc.: consider ‘parent or caregiver’ instead of ‘mom and dad.” It further notes that they should use all gender-inclusive terms such as “‘Folks’ or ‘Y’all’ instead of ‘guys’; ‘partner’ vs. ‘boyfriend or girlfriend.’”
It also states that rather than “Colourblind” people should be “Colour Conscious” and value each person there for their unique individualism.
Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., a Green Beret and Afghan War veteran, has said that in the military getting letters from your mom and dad, or your boyfriend or girlfriend has been around for “as long as there’s been a military.”
He added that now every cadet is being instructed to not use those terms, instead of focusing on all of the macro aggressions that Americans have to face all over the world.
As part of the diversity and inclusion (D&I) training cadets also have to do an exercise in which they write down as many animals starting with the letter G as they can think of within one minute. The exercise is meant to show them the power of their combined diverse perspective.
The training and exercises are designed to help them understand and gain respect for diversity and the existence of multiple perspectives.
