Anti-Sexist Language

University of Connecticut

WOMEN'S STUDIES PROGRAM

Guidelines on Anti-Sexist Language

It is the Women's Studies Program policy that anti-sexist language should be used at all times. These guidelines are intended to assist members of our Women's Studies classes in avoiding sexist language by sensitizing people to some of the forms it takes and by suggesting anti-sexist alternatives. They will help readers to consider the extent to which and the ways in which we either challenge or reproduce inaccurate, sexist and heterosexist assumptions in our speech and in our writing. Teachers and students may find the guidelines useful.

'He/Man' Language

Do not use 'man' to mean humanity in general. There are plenty of alternatives:

SEXIST	ANTI-SEXIST
Man/Mankind	Person, People, Human Beings
Mankind	Men And Women, Humanity, Humankind

When references to both sexes is intended, a large number of phrases use the word man or other masculine equivalents (e.g., 'father') and a large number of nouns use the suffix 'man', thereby excluding women from the picture we present of the world. These should be replaced by more precise non-sex-referent alternatives as listed below:

SEXIST	ANTI-SEXIST
The Man In The Street	People In General
Layman	Lay Person
Man-Made	Synthetic, Artificial, Manufactured
The Rights Of Man	Peoples'/Citizens' Rights;
Chairman	Chairperson, Chair
Foreman	Supervisor
Manpower	Workforce, Staff, Labor Power
Craftsman/Men	Craftsperson/People
Manning	Staffing, Working, Running
To A Man	Everyone, Unanimously, Without Exception
Manhours	Workhours
The Working Man	Worker, Working People
Models Of Man	Models Of The Person
One Man Show	One Person Show
Policeman/Fireman	Police Officer/Fire-Fighter
Forefathers	Ancestors
Founding Fathers	Founders
Old Masters	Classic Art/Artists
Masterful	Domineering; Very Skillful
Master Copy	Top Copy/Original
Dear Sirs	Omit Salutation

The 'generic' 'man' is often accompanied by the 'generic' 'he'. The 'generic he' should be avoided. Both feminine and masculine pronouns can be used where appropriate: he/she, s/he, his/her, etc. Alternative strategies include (a) the use of the plural and (b) the omission of third person pronouns entirely:

SEXIST: Each respondent was asked whether he wished to participate in the survey.
ANTI-SEXIST: Respondents were asked whether they wished to participate in the survey.
SEXIST: The child should be given ample time to familiarize himself with the test material.
ANTI-SEXIST: Ample time should be allowed for the child to become familiar with the test material.

Sexist language, apart from being offensive, may also mislead the reader, since it is frequently ambiguous. For example, the use of 'he/man' language in a discussion about people, be they workers, the elderly or 'untouchables' may suggest that the circumstances of the whole group are under consideration until statements like the following make it clear that the group or the people are in fact men only: "hardly a week goes by without an 'untouchable' is murdered or his house is burned or his wife is raped".

When by 'he', 'men', etc. you do actually mean only men, it is advisable to make this explicit. 'Male managers' or 'men executives' is less ambiguous than 'businessmen' which is either used 'generically' or with the implicit assumption that all business personnel are male. Such careful, anti-sexist use of language helps in avoiding the mistake of referring to, e.g., 'managers and their wives'. Women managers do not have wives!

'Ladies', 'Girls' and Women

The words 'boys' and 'gentlemen' are rarely used to refer to men in written work or speech. Nevertheless, women continue to be referred to or spoken to as if they were a 'breed apart', from 'mere women' ('ladies') and/or as if they had not yet reached adulthood. The use of such terms is often patronizing and offensive and should be avoided. In written work it is inaccurate to write 'young girls' when one is referring to teenage young women. In speech, terms like 'love' and 'dear' also frequently cause offense and should similarly be avoided.

Heterosexism

The above guidelines are intended to help 'make women visible' in our work. In the face of growing homophobia, to consider the extent to which phrases are heterosexist. For example, in discussions about 'two earner households' do phrases like 'the man and his partner' appear? Men do not occur in lesbian households. In discussions about young women and sexuality, is it assumed that becoming 'sexually active' means becoming 'sexually active' with men? Our subject is one which has a concern with social realities in the world. We have a responsibility therefore to reflect on and change our heterosexist assumptions.

There are several books on Non-sexist Usage such as:

The Elements of Nonsexist Usage: A Guide to Inclusive Spoken and Written English by Val Dumond, Prentice Hall Press

Guidelines for Bias-Free Writing by Marilyn Schartz and the Task Force on Bias-Free Language of the Association of American University Presses

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