SEXISM IN LANGUAGE

What is sexism in language?

It is the use of language which devalues members of one sex, almost invariably women, and thus fosters gender inequality.

It discriminates against women by rendering them invisible or trivializing them at the same time that it perpetuates notions of male supremacy.

Why the concern about mere words?

· Language articulates consciousness

It is not only orders our thought but from infancy, we learn to use language to give utterance to our basic needs and feelings.

· Language reflects culture

It encodes and transmits cultural meanings and values in our society.

· Language affects socialization

Children learning a language absorb the cultural assumptions and biases underlying language use and see these as an index to their society's values and attitudes. Social inequity reflected in language can thus powerfully affect a child's later behavior and beliefs.

What are the kinds of sexist language?

· Language that excludes women or renders them invisible

The use of the generic masculine subsuming all humanity in the terms man, father, brother, master.

Current Usage Alternative

man human being, human, person, individual

mankind, men human beings, humans, humankind, humanity,

people, human race, human species, society,

men and women

working men, workmen workers, wage earners

man on the street average person, ordinary person, the common tao

forefather ancestor

layman layperson, nonspecialist, non professional

manhood adulthood, maturity

manning staffing, working, running

to a man everyone, unanimously, without exception

one man show one person show solo exhibition

founding fathers founders

manpower human resources, staff, personnel, labor force

brotherhood of man the family of humanity, the unity of people or

of humankind human solidarity

early man early people, early men and women, early human beings

statemanship diplomacy

man-made manufactured, synthetic, artificial

old masters classic art/artists

masterful domineering, very skillful

· The Singular Masculine Pronouns He, His, Him.

Examples:

When a reporter covers a controversial story, he has a responsibility to present both sides of the

issue.

Each student should bring his notebook to class every day.

Everyone packed his own lunch.

If a customer has a complaint, send him to the service desk.

The handicapped child may be able to feed himself.

Suggested Alternatives

When reporters cover controversial stories, they have a responsibility...

All students should bring their notebooks to class everyday.

Everyone packed a lunch.

Customers with complaint should be sent to the service desk.

Handicapped children may be able to feed themselves.

· Terms ending in man to refer to functions that may be performed by individuals of either sex.

Current Usage Alternatives

anchorman anchor, anchorperson

businessman business executive, manager, business owner, retailer

cameraman camera operators, cinematographers, photographers

chairman chairperson, chair

Note: There is a tendency to use "chairperson" to apply only to women while "chairman" is used for men, even though "chairperson" is applicable to both sexes. "Chairperson" is preferable for either sex.

Current Usage Alternatives

congressman Representative, member of congress,

congress member, legislator

craftsmen artisans, craft artists, craftpersons

draftsmen drafters

firemen fire fighters

fishermen fishers, fisherfolk

foremen supervisors

lineman line installer, line repairer

lumbermen lumbercutters

pressmen press operators

policeman police officer, law enforcement officer

repairmen repairers

salesman salesperson, sales representative, sales agent

spokesman spokesperson, representative

sportsmen sports enthusiasts

statesmen diplomats, political leaders

watchmen guards

weatherman weather reporter, weathercaster, meteorologist

· Terms used as though they apply to adult males only, or are appropriated to a particular sex

Examples:

Settlers moved west taking their wives and children with them.

Alternatives: Use "families" for "wives and children"

Farmers found their drought conditions difficult, and so did their wives.

Alternatives: Use "spouses" for "wives"

It has been falsely said that the Greeks mistreated their wives.

Alternatives: Use "Greek males"

People don't give up power. They'll give up anything else first, money, home, wife, but not power.

Alternatives: Use "spouse" for "wife"

The aboriginals dressed in feathered costumes and accented their faces wwith dyes.

Women too painted their faces.

Alternatives: Use "aboriginal men and women" for "aboriginals"; omit the second sentence.

Current Usage Alternatives

lawyers/doctors/ lawyers/doctors/

farmers and their wives farmers and their spouses

the teacher and her students teacher and his or her students,* teachers

and their students

the secretary and her boss secretary and his or her boss,*

secretaries and their bosses

· The generic masculine reflects gender inequality in that women are never seen in terms of general or representative humanity. Men represent the universal or the human to which women are the other.

Language that trivializes women or diminishes their stature

Feminine suffixes such as -ess, -ette, -trix, or -enne,

make unnecessary reference to the person's sex, suggest triviality, unimportance, or inferiority of

women occupying such a position.

__________________

* Plural form preferred, unless you know the sex of the teacher or the secretary,

in which case use the appropriate pronoun.

Current Usage Alternatives

actress actor

authoress author

aviatrix aviator

comedienne comedian

executrixes executors

heroines heroes

hostesses hosts

poetess poet

proprietress proprietor

suffragette suffragist

usherette usher

· Use of sex-linked modifiers sounds gratuitous, is patronizing and suggests that the norm for some occupations is for a particular sex

Current Usage Alternatives

lady doctor doctor

woman writer writer

female lawyer lawyer

girl athlete athlete

male nurse nurse

male secretary secretary

heroic women heroes

working mothers wage-earning mothers: mothers

wworking outside the home

working wives wives working outside the home

· Such modifiers imply that they are not real lawyers, doctors, nurses, workers, etc.

· When it is necessary to point out the female aspect of a person occupying a given role or occupation, use female or woman, rather than lady, e.g. female guard.

· Language which disparages and marginalizes women( or persons of another gender)

Current Usage Alternatives

girl adult female

salesgirls saleswomen

ladies women

fair sex, weaker sex women

little woman, wife

the better half

coed female college student

bachelor girl, spinster unmarried women

old maid

starlets aspiring actors

young girls teenage young women

girl Friday administrative assistants

minority women ethnic women

mill girls factory workers

hookers, whores prostitutes

non-traditional or female intensive

dominated occupations occupations

ladies chattering women talking, speaking

bag ladies homeless women

chick girl, woman(depending on age)

dykes, gay women, lesbians

female homosexuals

house husbands, homemakers

house wives

granny midwives lay midwives

fish wives fish sellers

servants, maids domestic helpers,

household helpers

busboys waiters' assistants

chambermaids hotel workers

career girls career women

male chauvinist pig male chauvinism

women libbers feminists, liberatinists

· Languge that fosters unequal gender relations

Lack of parallelism

Current Usage Alternatives

Man and wife husband and wife

men and girls men and women;

boys and girls

men and ladies men and women;

ladies and gentlemen

President Bush and President Bush and

Mrs. Arroyo President Macapagal-Arroyo

Martina and Connors Navratilova and Connors,

or Martina and Jimmy

Connors and Miss Mr. Connors and Miss

Navratilova Navratilova

· The use of terms that call attention to a person's sex in designating occupations, positions, roles, etc.

Current Usage Alternatives

delivery boys, deliverers

delivery men

motherhood parenthood

fatherhood

political husbands, political spouses

political wives

headmasters, principals

headmistresses

cow boys, cow girls ranch hands

traffic in women sex tourism

girl watching street harassment

bellman, bellboy bellhop

clergyman member of the clergy,

minister, rabbi, priest, pastor, etc.

mailman, postman mail carrier, letter carrier

fathers (religious) priests

laundrywomen, launderers

washerwomen

chorus girls chorus dancers

longshoremen longshore wworkers,

stevedores

cleaning women, cleaners

cleaning lady

stewardess, steward flight/cabin attendant

corporate husbands, corporate spouses

corporate wives

domestic, maids, household workers,

servants household help