|
Concern about the use of sexist language
is part of our increased awareness that the perceived meanings of
some words have changed in response to the changing roles of men
and women in our society. For example, girl once meant a
young person of either sex, while youth indicated only a young man.
Now, girl applies only to young female persons, while youth
can refer to young persons of either sex.
Just as you would not use girl with its
outdated meaning, you should not use other words connoting gender
that do not accurately represent the people behind them.
Below are examples of 2 common problems, with suggestions for possible
solutions.
Problem:
By using man as a generic noun to represent groups that include
women, the writer misrepresents the species as male.
Solution
1: Use human, person, mortal, and their variations: humankind,
humanity, human beings, human race, people.
Example
Solution
2: Use a more descriptive or inclusive compound word: workmen's,
workers'; man-sized sizable, adult-sized; chairman or chairwoman,
chair or chairperson. Example
Problem: Use of
he, his, or him as a generic pronoun when the referent's gender
is unknown or irrelevant, misrepresents the species as male.
Solution
1: Write the sentence without pronouns. Try to avoid conditional
structures, generally introduced by if or when, which often require
the use of pronouns. Example
Solution
2: Use gender-specific pronouns only to identify a specific gender
or a specific person. Example
Solution
3: Use plural nouns and pronouns if they do not change the meaning
of the sentence. Example
Solution 4: Use a first- or second-person perspective. Example
The following solutions produce language less
fluent than Solutions 1 through 4--but sometimes may prove necessary.
Solution
5: Use a double pronoun, i.e. s/he, he or she, he/she, him and
her. Example
Solution
6: Use an article instead of a possessive pronoun as a modifier.
Example
Solution
7: Sparingly use the passive voice. Example
With
practice, you will use gender-fair constructions more readily and
with less revision. For more information on sexism in language and
how to avoid or revise it, please see the
following bibliography.
From
material prepared by
Jenny
R. Redfern
The Writing Center
4508 Sage Laboratory
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
|