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Nonsexist Language
The dictionary defines sexism as discrimination by one sex against
the other, especially by males against females, under the assumption that
one sex is superior to the other. Applied to our language, sexism means
that masculine forms and masculine marked words predominate. For example,
English usage frequently suggests that what is masculine is more important
than what is feminine (a man-sized job is important, but woman's
work is trivial). Our pronoun system uses he, his, him, and himself both
in the literal masculine sense and in the generic sense to mean a person
of either sex. Dozens of generic terms (chairman, congressman, statesman,
workingman, brotherhood, fellowship) contain masculine markers. When such
terms are used generically, misinterpretation can result and females are
unintentionally excluded from consideration.
Becoming aware of the biases that exist in English is the first step in dealing
with sexist language. Perhaps the most important principle involved is that of
equal and parallel treatment. As writers and editors, we should ask ourselves
such questions as: Do the terms or usages I choose contribute to clarity and
accuracy, or could they be misinterpreted? Does my language suggest that what
males do is normal and what females do is exceptional? Could I substitute a man’s
name for what I write about a woman and have it read equally well?
Eliminating sexist biases from what we write can lead to treatment of women and
men as persons, not members of opposite sexes. And—no small accomplishment—it
can lead to more precise language and clearer communication.
A further incentive exists for eliminating sexist language and implications from
the publications of a federally supported educational institution like the University
of Minnesota. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states that such institutions
may not use or distribute any publication that "suggests, by text or illustration,
that [the institution] treats applicants, students, or employees differently
on the basis of sex."
Some practical solutions for combating sexism in language follow. Debate over
the issues and the solutions will probably never end. For some questions, there
may never be any satisfactory answers. But, as concerned women and men propose
alternatives to usages they find objectionable, workable solutions will become
an accepted part of our language. Our role as editors and writers should be to
create awareness of the problems and to encourage others to be creative in finding
solutions.
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Use the following guidelines
in dealing with sexist language.
- Don’t use a masculine pronoun (he, his, him, himself) when
the person in question could be either male or female. Use such a word only
to refer to a specific man. Instead:
Use plural pronouns.
| Biased: |
A student is responsible for his own schedule.
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| Recast: |
Students are responsible for their own schedules.
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Rewrite the sentence to eliminate pronouns.
| Biased: |
An instructor plans his lectures carefully, for he knows his words
will be carefully copied.
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| Recast: |
An instructor plans lectures carefully, knowing they will be carefully
copied.
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Use the genderless one, person, individual.
| Biased: |
A teaching assistant is enthusiastic. He appreciates the importance
of work experience.
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| Recast: |
A teaching assistant is enthusiastic, a person who appreciates the
importance of work experience.
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Use the definite article the in place of a possessive pronoun.
| Biased: |
A graduate student regards his preliminary exams with some trepidation.
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| Recast: |
A graduate student regards the preliminary exams with some trepidation.
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When a pronoun is required, use the all-inclusive he or she. Reverse
the order (she or he) sometimes.
| Biased: |
An instructor has a large responsibility to his students. He must
keep himself fully informed.
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| Recast: |
An instructor has a large responsibility to students. She or he must
keep fully informed.
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- Wherever possible, use substitutions
for words with masculine markers. (When you use genderless terms, be sure
you use them for both women and men. Don’t, for instance, use chairperson
for a woman and chairman for a man.)
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businessman |
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businessperson, business executive, business manager |
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cameraman |
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camera operator |
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chairman |
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chairperson, chair, presiding officer, head |
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congressman |
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member of Congress, representative |
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craftsman |
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craftsperson |
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fireman |
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firefighter |
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fisherman |
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fisher |
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foreman |
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supervisor |
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insurance man |
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insurance agent |
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mailman |
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mail carrier, letter carrier |
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man |
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humans, people, a person, an individual |
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mankind |
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humanity, human race, human beings, humankind, people |
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manpower |
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workforce, workers, human power, human energy, human resources,
employees |
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real estate man |
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real estate agent |
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salesman |
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salesperson, sales worker, sales representative, sales clerk |
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statesman |
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leader, public servant
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workman |
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worker |
- Do not use the word girl to refer to
an adult. Many women find this term offensive. Call females over the age
of 18 women, not girls, gals, or ladies. (The definition of girl is
a female child. One possibility for eliminating problems with this
word is to use the terms young woman and young man for teenagers
to suggest a continuum.)
- Use parallel terms for women and men. Use men and women, ladies
and gentlemen, girls and boys, husband and wife (not man and wife).
Alternate the order sometimes: women and men, gentlemen and ladies,
wife and husband. Use ladies only when men are being referred
to as gentlemen. And don't call women wives and mothers unless
you are calling men husbands and fathers.
- Refer to women by name in the same way that you refer to men. Call both
by their full names, by first or last name only, or by title. Preferred University
style is to use a person’s full name for the first reference and the
person's last name in later references.
- Don’t refer to women in terms of their roles as wife, mother, sister,
or daughter unless it is these roles that are significant in context. Be
especially careful to avoid unnecessary references to or emphasis on a woman's
marital status.
- Do not use coed to describe a woman.
The term stands for coeducational, not for female. Persons
who attend school are students.
- Don’t use feminine or woman as modifiers. Saying a person
is a woman lawyer or a woman tennis player implies that she
is an exception to the rule. The same applies to terms like male nurse and career
girl. The term feminine logic illustrates an extreme use of such
a modifier, since it implies lack of logic. Similarly, avoid the use of sexist
terms like mannish, womanish, and effeminate and the use of
trivializing terms like poetess, usherette, and libber.
- Do not use phrases that inadvertently exclude women by assuming that all
readers are men. Don’t, for instance, write “Graduate students
and their wives will be invited.” In such a case, substitute spouses for wives.
- Seek alternatives
when you find sexist language in direct quotations. Possibilities include:
- eliminating the quotation altogether if it isn’t really
necessary
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- paraphrasing the quotation, giving the author credit
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- Eliminate gratuitous physical description (usually found only in copy concerning
women). In feature writing, of course, physical descriptions are often essential,
but be careful to avoid stereotypical descriptions. Describe only those characteristics
or mannerisms that make your subject a unique individual.
To check a description for sexist stereotypes, ask yourself if the adjectives
or adjectival phrases you have used are so common they are predictable for
a person of that sex (for women: pert, vivacious, chic, buxom, comely, etc.; for
men: rugged, burly, distinguished, handsome, etc.).
- Omit
salutations in correspondence when in doubt. When you have no knowledge of
who will receive a letter, use no salutation rather than Dear Sir or Gentlemen. Or
use Dear Sir or Madam, Dear People, or Gentleperson. In
some cases, Dear Friend, Dear Colleague, or Dear (specific
title of recipient) may be appropriate.
- recasting the quotation as an indirect quotation, eliminating
the sexist language.
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