Why we should be bothered by gendered language during the lockdown

COMMENT | The standard response to this headline is probably going to be one of dismissal and derision - "people are dying you know, this isn’t the time to quibble about language or gender". But if now is not a good time, then when?

The language we use is only part of how we communicate. Language speaks to mindset, the words we choose reflect how we think and what we do. The language used by politicians and policymakers is an indicator of the policies they will likely make which affect us all. This is not about criticising - the decision to impose the movement control order (MCO) was not one which was made lightly. It is new and uncharted territory for governments around the world, and it is not the point of this article to point out the missteps...