Women and Children

Women and children. Have you ever taken the time to ponder this nauseatingly common phrase used by news outlets and individuals across the country? I can't turn on a television or read through an article without this phrase jumping off of every page dedicated to war coverage. It's a strange phrase, one that seems blatantly out of place in a modern society. Devaluing to women and men alike, I hope to persuade at least a precious few to never use this phrase again in any form of public discourse.

Women: This phrase should offend you, no matter the angle from which you choose to view it. There is the obvious implication, being that you are somehow as weak as a child. Being absent from the phrase, men are your assumed protectors as you are utterly defenseless and incapable of basic survival skills limited to the male population. The second implication of such a grouping involves something a bit more subtle, the re-enforcement of a patriarchy. Children are in effect 'owned' by their parents until they reach the age of adulthood. By such grouping with children, men subjugate you to a patriarchal authority, assigning themselves a head role as protector, not an ally of equal standing.

Men: This phrase doesn't let you off the hook either. By your absence, your life value is lessened. The implication of such a phrase requires the loss of a female life to be considered more devastating than a male one, reducing the male to a combat/survival machine devoid of the same intrinsic value as the female.

Why have I not mentioned children? Because they deserve the value denoted by such language. Children are a precious gift to be cherished and protected by adults (male and female), therefore, the death of a child in a war situation is a true tragedy. A child should never have to pay for the irresponsible actions of an adult. The death of children deserves mention, if only to remind the adult population of the gravity and consequences war and devastation carry. The phrase should be re-rendered:

"Many perished today in this conflict, including innocent children."

With that, the focus of such language is directed toward those to whom it truly belongs. Children are are a gift in need of protection, and this requires the equal efforts of men and women alike.