Vermont Department of Health advises parents not to say "son" or "daughter" because it is not "inclusive"

Now that it is officially back-to-school season, the Vermont Department of Health posted language recommendations for parents on social media. "When talking about family, it's important to use terms that cover the many versions of what family can look like," the controversial post asserts.

The first piece of advice is for parents not to use the words "daughter" or "son." Instead, it recommends "gender-neutral" words such as "child" or "kid."

The other recommendations are to say "family members" instead of "household members," because not all families live in the same house, and "family" instead of "extended family," because "often grandparents, aunts, uncles, and counsins are important parts of a core family unit."

After the controversy generated on social media, with users calling the suggestions "madness" and even asking for changes in the department's personnel, the Vermont Health Department clarified that the post was intended to "encourage using inclusive language when you don't know someone's family situation."