Why do we say ‘Amen’ instead of ‘Awomen’? The same reason we sing Hymns and not Hers!
That’s an old joke Cockburn found on the Google machine while looking up the origins of the word ‘amen’. This latest research project comes courtesy of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who baffled just about everyone when he opted to close out Sunday’s opening prayer to the new Congress with ‘amen and awomen’.
Cleaver’s attempt at inclusivity must have been inspired by Nancy Pelosi, who was narrowly reelected Speaker of the House and promptly introduced new congressional rules that ban gendered language when describing familial relationships. Confused? Don’t worry, Pelosi has a handy list for you. Father, son, mother, daughter, aunt, uncle and any other such word that even hints at biological sex may not be used in reference to a relative of a member of Congress.
This rule, Pelosi claims, ‘reflects the views and values of the full range of our historically diverse House Democratic majority.’
It was in this spirit that Cleaver made sure his prayer didn’t end with that toxically masculine word ‘amen’. Of course, like most identity politics priorities, everything about this is nonsensical. ‘Amen’ was never a gendered word. It is derived from Hebrew and means ‘certainty’ or ‘truth.’ It is painfully ironic that the biology-denying progressives should wish to discard with ‘truth’.
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