Patriarch Porphyry in a new "offensive" on gender-sensitive language

The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Porfirije was at a meeting with a group of Serbian linguists, where the Law on Gender Sensitive Language was judged to be "unconstitutional and harmful".

The reason for this meeting was the "current discussion on the controversial Law on Gender Equality", according to the announcement of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"All the participants in the conversation agreed that according to the manner of expression and mutual communication, which means the opinions and life of the Serbian people, permanent and harmful consequences would follow, if this, and according to legal experts, unconstitutional law were to be implemented," it is written in the announcement.

The SPC states that "only one part is a linguistic issue", and that in the middle, as stated, "it is a legally imposed process, as it has been pointed out these days, of the "transformation" of the consciousness of the individual and society as a whole, through language.

"It was repeated that the case of the Law on Gender Equality represents the violent application of the so-called gender ideology and politics, and such a practice, with mandatory implementation, does not exist in any EU country", added the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Porphyry pointed out that the issue of language defines the identity of the people.

He said "that any violent and ill-considered change can have great consequences for the self-awareness of a nation such as the Serbian", which, he added, the Church constantly draws attention to.

At the meeting, it was pointed out "that the competent authorities do not prevent, but are more than tolerant towards a group of non-governmental organizations that persistently and systematically promote gender ideology, policy and practice through their direct presence in preschool institutions and schools".

In the announcement, it was also stated that these non-governmental organizations are thereby propagandizing "that even the youngest children can choose their own sex and gender."

Read more Linguistic reversals: The ambassador's wife and the buoyant surface

The Ministry does not abandon the Law on Gender Equality

Eminent professors, representatives of ministries, organizations and institutes, who participated in the creation of the Law on Gender Equality, last month at the debate "Are you a worker or are you a director?" raised many questions regarding gender-sensitive language and unpaid domestic work. 

"The Ministry is not giving up on the Law," said Nina Mitić from the Ministry for Human, Minority Rights and Social Dialogue at the beginning of the debate.

Language against the patriarchy

"When it comes to violence against women, we are gender sensitive," warned Kosana Becker from the Fem Platz Association.

Recently, Patriarch Porphyry addressed women using the nouns "poor" and "wretch" and apparently had no problem using gender-sensitive language on the occasion. 

"Believe that anything that can have a bad or negative connotation is feminine," Becker says.

Svenka Savić, professor emeritus of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad and a long-time fighter for women's rights, pointed out that the fact is that today there are many feminine nouns, but the question is how they are used. 

"We can't let the patriarchal culture bring us down." At the same time, we change it through language and do not recognize it".

Maja Mićić from the Department for Democratization of the OSCE Mission concluded that by using gender-sensitive language, we will not destroy the family and marriage, but only stand in the way of the evil patriarchy, which does not suit either men or women.

AE/ZS