Trinity College to drop ‘freshman’ term over inclusivity concerns

Foxhound38

The article for those that want to read it

Look, I'm a straight white non-student male so I guess my view of this isn't worth much on this issue - but I'd love to know where these initiatives come from? I mean, has anyone, ever been upset enough by innocuous words like "freshman" to try and get it replaced on literature? I mean, it's not the end of the world but it does seem like an awful lot of effort to go to over a relatively small issue.

Am I the only one who is starting to think that a lot of social justice crusading boils down to control freakery rather than inclusion?

Odhinn

I blame the gays. Trinity invented them, ye know.

DEFTLEFTHAND

I'd be more concerned with their dismal global ranking.

Why do all our Unis rank so terribly?

Permabear

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CatFromHue

When did they even start calling them Freshmen?

DEFTLEFTHAND

You got it with your last sentence OP.

Although in this instance I do think that Freshpeople has a nice ring to it.

90s vibe.

I suppose it's nice for the jaded cynics..

riffmongous

Never heard anyone say freshman before, it was always fresher in my time (not at trinners)

atilladehun

It was freshers in maynooth 17 years ago. Doesn't take a genius to come up with that.

To answer the OP, yes, gender specific words do seem to make people feel outside a group, other than a group, not as welcome etc etc. As someone from the same category as you have described yourself as I don't think it is that hard to change a few little things like this. In fact I'm happy to.

biko

I don't give a **** about gender sensitivity, although I am for dropping it as it's an American term.

King George VI

Foxhound38 wrote: »

Look, I'm a straight white non-student male so I guess my view of this isn't worth much on this issue

Ipso

They're wasted in college. Get them out into the real world and they'll solve the big issues like famine and world peace.

Odhinn

Ipso wrote: »

They're wasted in college. Get them out into the real world and they'll solve the big issues like famine and world peace.

Like we do here. It'll do them good.

mahamageehad

CatFromHue wrote: »

When did they even start calling them Freshmen?

I never heard them called freshman (freshmen?) when I was in college. The only reference was freshers week, which was for getting drunk getting to know your new classmates. Other than that they were just first year students. So.... The whole article seems remarkably unnewsworthy.

Permabear

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Professor Moriarty

Foxhound38 wrote: »

The article for those that want to read it

Look, I'm a straight white non-student male so I guess my view of this isn't worth much on this issue - but I'd love to know where these initiatives come from? I mean, has anyone, ever been upset enough by innocuous words like "freshman" to try and get it replaced on literature? I mean, it's not the end of the world but it does seem like an awful lot of effort to go to over a relatively small issue.

Am I the only one who is starting to think that a lot of social justice crusading boils down to control freakery rather than inclusion?

I happen to disagree with you and would prefer 'Fresher' but why isn't a white, straight, male non-student's opinion as valid as anyone else's?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Ipso

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Did people catch the vapours from it?

King George VI

What are they gonna be called instead? Freshpeople? Newbies?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

B.A._Baracus

I am really starting to belive that there is a fantasy land out there. Not sure what to call it.

Say a dozen delusioned people go on twitter and complain about something that is not an issue. Then it becomes a thing as others who hear it don't want to appear as racist / sexist / whatever so they accept it as an issue.. Suddenly it's now a thing.

But it's balls. Because at no point do you hear from the people who original had an issue with it. Vast majority just get upset on behalf of others and go with it.

It's fantasy. It's like a Chinese whisper. It gains traction.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

biko wrote: »

I don't give a **** about gender sensitivity, although I am for dropping it as it's an American term.

Not an American term at all. It was used in Cambridge as far back as 1688.

jojofizzio

In my day in Trinners..
JF=Junior Freshman=1st year
SF=Senior Freshman=2nd year
JS=Junior Sophister=3rd year
SS=Senior Sophister=4th year....archaic yes,but so it went....
Is it still the same?(sorry but I didn’t read the link..)

Doltanian

Black Midget Transvestites who are transage FTW

I heard someone say 'manageress' recently. It sounded quite antiquated.

I guess Trinity didn't want to sound stuck in the past, I doubt anyone was actually bothered by it. It sounds like the kind of thing people do because it makes them look relevant, but it doesn't mean they have to do anything of any actual substance. Looking the part = being the part.

freshpopcorn

I've always got the impression colleges used the the term fresher in the last decade or so. The term freshman was always very American to me.

Church on Tuesday

Yet more PC madness.

It's getting ridiculous at this stage. You can be inclusive and respectful of others without this nonsense.

Hoboo

When I was in college Freshmeat was the term. No issues.

Fr Tod Umptious

When will they be getting rid of Michaelmas as the name of the autumn term ?

I mean come on, it's both male and has Christian origins, it should be number one enemy of the SJWs.

whoopsadoodles

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

You got it with your last sentence OP.

Although in this instance I do think that Freshpeople has a nice ring to it.

90s vibe.

Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh People.

whoopsadoodles

Candie wrote: »

I heard someone say 'manageress' recently. It sounded quite antiquated.

Should it not be personager?

B.A._Baracus

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

I am really starting to belive that there is a fantasy land out there. Not sure what to call it.

Say a dozen delusioned people go on twitter and complain about something that is not an issue. Then it becomes a thing as others who hear it don't want to appear as racist / sexist / whatever so they accept it as an issue.. Suddenly it's now a thing.

But it's balls. Because at no point do you hear from the people who original had an issue with it. Vast majority just get upset on behalf of others and go with it.

It's fantasy. It's like a Chinese whisper. It gains traction.

Most of these are English literature/arts/gender study students-grads who complain over nefarious things like this to look like they matter and then wonder why their not in a job

Church on Tuesday

Church on Tuesday wrote: »

Yet more PC madness.

It's getting ridiculous at this stage. You can be inclusive and respectful of others without this nonsense.

I would hazard a guess (and from talking to friends/colleagues who are lgbt or female or whomever I’m guessing is aimed at) majority of them wouldn’t find it offensive at all it’s just the sjws looking for gold medals in the oppression olympics/twitter/tumblr

Fr_Dougal

The word ‘Fresh’ is offensive on two counts.

Students are usually stinky, and it’s ageist as some students are mature/old.

The_Valeyard

Hmmmmm,

I agree.


Lets change the word to cnuts.


Offend everyone equally.

Permabear

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_Dara_

I liked the different names for the years: JF, SF, JS, SS.

I went through serious illness in college so was very proud of myself when I finally got to be an SS Natural Sciences student.

Informally, people just said ‘first year’, ‘second year’ etc. but in all our college literature the above categories were used. I liked it, it was historical.

Esel

The Freshmen were a good band in their day.

riffmongous

Just looking it up, it took them over 300 years to admit women, no wonder they are only getting round to changing things now

jojofizzio

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

When will they be getting rid of Michaelmas as the name of the autumn term ?

I mean come on, it's both male and has Christian origins, it should be number one enemy of the SJWs.

Ah yeah forgot that... Michaelmas,Hilary and Trinity....getting all nostalgic now....really does sound sooo out of place today....but lends a bit of olde worlde charm

Sirsok

Next we should change the word semen....ya know to be inclusive to women with penises....

Pawwed Rig

When Willy and Harry were in first year were they called Fresh Prince?

jojofizzio

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

When Willy and Harry were in first year were they called Fresh Prince?

Did Harry go to college?

Pawwed Rig

jojofizzio wrote: »

Did Harry go to college?

Who cares?

Harry went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, according to a news item about his engagement this morning.

nice_guy80

always freshers week

they've been watching too many american college movies

Vladimir Poontang

I look forward to seeing the snowflake brigade marching through the streets demanding that Binmen be referred to as Binpeople and calling for a massive increase in female bin people to reverse the shocking gender inequality in the industry

_Dara_

Candie wrote: »

Harry went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, according to a news item about his engagement this morning.

According to one of the 1,367,512 news items about him in the last 36 hours. :pac:

_Dara_

Vladimir Poontang wrote: »

I look forward to seeing the snowflake brigade marching through the streets demanding that Binmen be referred to as Binpeople and calling for a massive increase in female bin people to reverse the shocking gender inequality in the industry

Yeah, just like we should look forward to the marches demanding that more men enter the low-paid, gruelling, female-dominated care and catering industries.

Pac1Man

"Another gender identity"

What a load of bollix. I'd never vote for anyone who floated between genders. You are male or female. Pick one.

Pelvis

Shane Unsightly Sordidness wrote: »

Not an American term at all. It was used in Cambridge as fat back as 1688.

Is that when you started there?