Language is one of the primary ways through which we are prosocially primed; it mediates our interactions with the environment and the people in it and necessarily mirrors the relationships we have with the various components of our social worlds. However, there exists a plethora of general and widely used idiomatic expressions, which contain a sexist undertone. It is for this reason that we must note these examples of sexist language and practice precautions to help change societal norms in this regard.
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1. Man as a Generic Term
It is problematic that the letter “man” has been used to signify all of humanity; this is archaic and erases women and those who identify as non-binary. Some expressions used commonly are ‘mankind’, ‘manpower’, ‘man-made’ etc which presuppose that men represent the norm, and other groups are somehow less than this norm. Instead, opt for gender-neutral terms such as:
- Mankind → Humankind
- Manpower → Workforce
- Man-made → Synthetically produced for man-made acquisition or artificially created.
2. Gendered Job Titles
Whenever the titles used to describe the jobs contain terms that are considered appropriate only to one gender, it makes people think that particular occupations are appropriate only for males or females. Examples include "policeman," "fireman," and "chairman." To promote gender equality and inclusivity, use neutral job titles:
- Policeman → Police officer
- Fireman → Firefighter
- Chairman → Chairperson
3. Terms that Infantilize Women
Such forms of address demean women and infantilize them, reducing them to being of a lower professional standard and being less mature than everyone else. When used to address or describe adult women the words ‘girl’ and ‘gal’ may well be perceived as patronizing. Instead, use respectful terms that reflect equality: Instead, use respectful terms that reflect equality:
- Female (when it concerns a grown-up lady) → Lady
- Gal → Woman or Lady (though often the term ‘lady’ has some attached innuendos; the safest term is ‘woman’)
4. Assumptions Based on Gender Roles
Even seemingly harmless phrases that cling to stereotypical visions of masculinity and femininity can be restrictive and often offensive. Usage of some words like the man himself, man’s job, woman's job, and woman’s work makes people think in certain traditional ways about the roles and abilities of men and women. It's important to use language that recognizes the capabilities of all individuals regardless of gender:
Since man has a job, then he must do a difficult task or has a challenging job.
- This woman’s work → Domestic or household tasks Though it is better to write a specific task, for example, cooking, cleaning, etc., without any reference to a woman.
5. Sexist Idioms and Expressions
Unfortunately, countless idioms and sayings in frequent use mean literally sexist or contain one after another brushing up on negative clichés. Abusive language includes using language such as, “grow a pair” or “don’t be such a girl,” deeming the “strong and brave” as masculine and portraying the opposite as feeble and inferior. Replace these with expressions that do not rely on gendered comparisons:
- Stand up → Come out in a bundle or Be bold.
- Don’t be such a girl → Do not be afraid or Do not be so touchy (while even this can be quite undesirable to be used; it is always better to point at the behavior directly even if in less polite words).
Conclusion
Recognizing and being conscious of language is the important first in the process of making organizations, services, and the community as a whole more equal. Thus, by eliminating sexist language, we fight against stereotyped attitudes and245 establish equality between different people, both men and women. Understandably, words are a strong tool, and using them right will help form a society where everyone will be given equal recognition and respect. To change the world for the better let us all for instance decide to do the following when choosing words to say or write.