The Linux Foundation has announced the release of a new “Inclusive Language Guide” — which adds a handful of new words you are not allowed to say.
And it’s even more ridiculous than you might expect.
This new “Inclusive Language Guide” is designed to “drive a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture” (read: DEI) and to replace “offensive language” with “acceptable language”.
Past iterations of the “Inclusive Language Guide” included “Socially Charged” words such as “Master / Slave”, “Black / White”, and even “Owner”.
This new revision officially adds “Pow-wow” to that list of death-causing words.
Of course, any “gendered language” remains firmly off limits. “Manpower”? Can’t say that. And definitely don’t use “gendered” pronouns like “he” or “she”.
Doing so is literally genocide.
Which brings us to my favorite new additions (to the “Ableist” and “Violent” language sections of the list).
Sanity Check
Dummy
Hung
That’s right. You can’t use the word “hung” anymore.
I deleted 3 different titles for this story containing the word “hung”. They were all very entertaining and very inappropriate. I would like credit for the restraint I am showing right now.
As crazy, insane, and abnormal (see what I did there?) as this list of “bad” words is… what’s even stranger is the group behind it.
This is a joint project between The Linux Foundation and — wait for it — the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Yes. The one that produces the Oscars.
The two organizations teamed up to create the Academy Software Foundation.
Which, apparently, ran out of worthwhile things to work on… and, instead, chose to add “hung” to a “don’t use this word in the software industry” list.
That organization also worked with the Alliance for OpenUSD — another Linux Foundation Project — to publish this list.
Who, exactly, is responsible for making all of this happen at the Alliance for OpenUSD?
Pixar, Nvidia, Adobe, Autodesk, and Apple.
And the leadership over at the Academy Software Foundation includes companies like Netflix, Sony, Adobe, Intel, Microsoft, and Epic Games.
Right about now you may be wondering why Epic Games and Amazon is so worried about you using the word “hung”.
I don’t have an answer for you.
It’s weird.
Thanks to all of the subscribers to The Lunduke Journal for making this work possible — without taking a single dime from Big Tech (or running a single ad). Check Lunduke.com for all the ways you can get the articles, podcasts, and videos.
