Comments on: Best. Word book. Ever. Revised & updated. http://www.lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/ notes from the crossroads of mother and father Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:28:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: LesbianDad http://www.lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-433 LesbianDad Sat, 06 Jan 2007 23:11:26 +0000 http://lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-433 Here, here! I second the motion (on the planned obsolescence of the modifier "alternative"). It's already technically inaccurate, since it only modifies what's presumed to be the norm. And as of the most recent census, <a href="http://mombian.com/2006/09/20/icons-images-and-invisibility/" rel="nofollow">as you've reported</a>, families that <i>aren't</i> the purported norm of married heterosexual (born bio-male born bio-female) parents of kids they've birthed and not adopted, and not blended from previous marriages, etc.) have long since stopped being the majority family configuration. But old speech patterns sure die hard! In CA, where people of color have been in the numeric majority for a long while (and, as an aggregate, will reach 61% of the population by 2010), the term "minority" still seems to be used by most white people, and even some people of color, to refer to the group of people that are the state's majority. Ah, well. Language and the law both seem to always be lagging far behind our lived realities. We'll all be living them regardless of what they're called or how well our legal systems recognize them. Here, here! I second the motion (on the planned obsolescence of the modifier “alternative”). It’s already technically inaccurate, since it only modifies what’s presumed to be the norm. And as of the most recent census, as you’ve reported, families that aren’t the purported norm of married heterosexual (born bio-male born bio-female) parents of kids they’ve birthed and not adopted, and not blended from previous marriages, etc.) have long since stopped being the majority family configuration.

But old speech patterns sure die hard! In CA, where people of color have been in the numeric majority for a long while (and, as an aggregate, will reach 61% of the population by 2010), the term “minority” still seems to be used by most white people, and even some people of color, to refer to the group of people that are the state’s majority.

Ah, well. Language and the law both seem to always be lagging far behind our lived realities. We’ll all be living them regardless of what they’re called or how well our legal systems recognize them.

]]> By: drudolph http://www.lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-432 drudolph Sat, 06 Jan 2007 16:56:28 +0000 http://lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-432 We're fond of Scarry at our house, too, but are also cautious about his older works. Our favorite is probably <i>Cars and Trucks and Things that Go</i>. It includes female workers like Officer Flossie, who plays a fairly major role, and various female construction workers, lumberjacks, and firefighters. Sometimes their gender is indicated by large bows on their heads--not my ideal representation, but I suppose it's better than drawing bosoms on raccoons and cats. The main family in the story is--not surprisingly--Ma and Pa Pig and their son and daughter, but they take turns driving, and Ma is the one who puts the snow chains on the car when they drive up into the mountains. Your point about needing more depictions of different family types is an important one, though. I hope someday we'll expunge the term "alternative families" and just have "families," of whatever glorious variations exist. We’re fond of Scarry at our house, too, but are also cautious about his older works. Our favorite is probably Cars and Trucks and Things that Go. It includes female workers like Officer Flossie, who plays a fairly major role, and various female construction workers, lumberjacks, and firefighters. Sometimes their gender is indicated by large bows on their heads–not my ideal representation, but I suppose it’s better than drawing bosoms on raccoons and cats. The main family in the story is–not surprisingly–Ma and Pa Pig and their son and daughter, but they take turns driving, and Ma is the one who puts the snow chains on the car when they drive up into the mountains.

Your point about needing more depictions of different family types is an important one, though. I hope someday we’ll expunge the term “alternative families” and just have “families,” of whatever glorious variations exist.

]]> By: jon http://www.lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-431 jon Sat, 06 Jan 2007 09:32:56 +0000 http://lesbiandad.net/2007/01/05/best-word-book-ever-revised-updated/#comment-431 thanks for the link; my favorite as a kid was <i>What Do People Do All Day</i>, but I can only vaguely remember some things that were left out of the revised edition, like the whole section on coal mining, I think. thanks for the link; my favorite as a kid was What Do People Do All Day, but I can only vaguely remember some things that were left out of the revised edition, like the whole section on coal mining, I think.

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