Vermont parents lash out at latest woke advice on how they should refer to their kids

Woke Vermont health officials sparked fury with a diktat telling parents not to use the words 'son' and 'daughter.'  

Parents hit back at the Vermont Department of Health this week for it's advice, with one saying they were 'dumbfounded that tax dollars were spent on this nonsense.' 

The health department ordered parents to use 'child' or 'kid' instead of 'daughter' or 'son', because the new terms are 'gender-neutral and can describe a child who may not be someone's legal son or daughter.' 

Some also saw the memo as needlessly specific, with another piece of advice telling parents to 'say family members rather than household members.' 

Vermont health officials sparked backlash after issuing recommendations on 'inclusive language for families' that told parents to avoid using terms including 'son' and 'daughter'

The Vermont Department of Health sent the advice this week on social media, as it reminded families that 'the language we use matters!' 

'Many families and students are getting ready for the new school year,' the department said. 'Equity in the classroom is an essential piece of a productive and healthy learning environment. 

'When talking about family, it's important to use terms that cover the many versions of what family can look like.' 

But the guide was quickly met with dismay, with one telling the department: 'I'm offended when you call my son my "child" - That language is not inclusive of me.' 

While ordering parents to avoid 'son' and 'daughter' drew the most criticism, other pieces of advice were also deemed needless. 

Avoiding the term 'family members' in favor of 'household members' was important because 'not all families live in the same home - think divorced or incarcerated parents, stepsiblings etc.', the department said. 

Vermont residents were also told to 'say family rather than extended family', because 'often, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are important parts of a core family unit.' 

The Vermont Department of Health drew criticism after reminding parents that 'the language we use matters!' Pictured: The department's commissioner of health Dr. Mark Levine 

The post was flooded with angry responses to the recommendations, with one parent saying: 'Maybe, I'll call my children whatever I'd like...' 

'I will proudly refer to my daughters as daughters. I am incredibly proud to be a woman and hope my girls are too!' another commented. 

She added: 'as for family vs household vs extended family... does anyone really need to be told how to refer to their family?' 

Another said: 'How about letting people say what they want and stop being the woke police?' 

The Vermont Department of Health has previously been noted for its woke inclinations, including listing several 'social justice pillars' on it's website, as noted by local outlet OKCFOX.  

Part of the site reads that the department 'aims to center health justice and address racism and all forms of oppression in our programs and policies.' 

The VDH also links to articles that question 'why is Vermont so overwhelmingly white?' 

In response to the criticism of its parents' advice guide, the VDH told The National Desk that it was 'intended to encourage using inclusive language when you don't know someone's family situation.'

'This is especially important in settings like classrooms, afterschool programs and sports teams. Using language that includes everyone helps children feel seen, respected, and valued no matter how their families are structured.' 

While no mention was made of transgender issues, trans and non-binary activists have attempted to wipe out gendered language in recent years in a bid to become more 'inclusive.'