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The You Attitude means avoiding language that discriminates because
of gender, age, disability, ethnicity/race, and sexual orientation
We can also avoid biased language that pigeon-holes people for other things besides culture that they don't necessarily have control over, including gender, race, religion, handicaps, and age. Can you see the bias in these sentences?
Any applicant for the position of fireman must submit a medical report signed by his physician. Let's try harder to meet our older customers' demands for personalized service. Despite her cerebral palsy, Cheryl Kama was promoted to office manager.
The biggest problem with these sentences is that they focus on something that really has nothing to do with a person's ability to do a job successfully. Here are the sentences, corrected and explained:
Any applicant Applicants for the position of fireman firefighter must submit a medical report signed by his their physician physicians Using the degendered term "firefighter" for the old-fashioned "fireman" and eliminating the sexist "he" pronoun by casting the subject "applicant" into the plural eliminate the maleness of this sentence. Let's try harder to meet our older customers' demands for personalized service. The word "older" implies that these customers are somehow more unreasonable, and that's certainly not true. After all, don't ALL customers deserve better service? Despite her cerebral palsy, Cheryl Kama was promoted to office manager. Focusing on Ms. Kama's physical challenges diminishes the dedication and intelligence she must've put into the job to be worthy of her promotion.
1.0 Language Bias Against Gender
Rule 1: Avoid the Generic Use of "He." Avoid the pronoun "he" when both sexes
are meant.
1.1. Recast into the plural Sexist Non-sexist Give each student his paper as soon as he is finished.
Give student s their paper s as soon as they are finished. (notice that the grammar is correct in the rewrite: student s , their , paper s = plural. For more on pronoun agreement, see Purdue Owl)
Avoiding Biased Language
1.2 Reword to eliminate the "he" pronoun
Sexist Non-sexist The average student is worried about his grades.
The average student is worried about grades.
1.3 Replace the masculine pronoun with "you" (as appropriate) or "he or she" (sparingly) (note: although "one" is also possible, it is not you-attitude. Find a better alternative)
Sexist Non-sexist If the student is dissatisfied with his grade, he can appeal.
A student who is dissatisfied with his/her grade can appeal.
1.4 Alternate male and female expressions
Sexist Non-sexist Let each student participate. Has he had a chance to talk? Did he feel left out?
Let each student participate. Has she had a chance to talk? Did he feel left out?
1.5 Use plural indefinite pronouns (definite pronouns are always singular: anyone, anybody, someone, somebody, everyone, everybody, one, each, every)
Sexist Non-sexist Anyone who wants to go must bring his money tomorrow.
All those who want to go must bring their money tomorrow.
1.6 Use the double-pronoun construction (use sparingly)
Sexist Non-sexist Every person has a right to his opinion. Every person has a right to his or her opinion.
1.7 Use he/she his/her, etc., in printed contracts and other forms so the inapplicable pronoun can be crossed out.
Rule 2 Avoid Sexist Salutations and Titles
2.1 Use a title or other alternative when you don't know the name of the person you're writing to
Sexist Non-sexist
- Dear Sir
- Dear Madam
- Gentlemen
- To Whom it May Concern (not sexist, just not you-attitude) - Aloha (only in Hawaii ) - Dear Customer/Subscriber/Colleague - Dear Editor/Manager/ Account Executive (job title) - Dear Representative/ Senator (honorary title ) - Dear Friend/Neighbor
Sexist Non-sexist I'll have my girl check on that. I'll have my secretary (or assistant ) check on that. Has the delivery boy arrived yet? Has the delivery arrived yet?
Rule 3: Use De-gendered Terms
3.1 Use de-gendered terms for both males and females.
Sexist Non-sexist host ess host actr ess actor waiter/waitr ess wait help steward/steward ess flight attendant
3.2 De-gender, don't re-gender
Sexist Non-sexist chairman = chair woman (re-gendered) (^) • chair
- chairperson (de-gendered)
Rule 4: Avoid Sexual Stereotyping
Sexual stereotypes means labeling some roles as predominantly male or female. To assume that all lawyers or bosses or doctors are male ignores the female segment of the profession and reinforces the assumption that only males are "proper" professionals. Moreover, to assume that homemaking, nursing, teaching, and child rearing tasks are the primary concern of all and only women excludes males from these roles, even as it ignores women's other concerns.
4.1 Avoid calling attention to irrelevancies.
Sexist Non-sexist male nurse nurse male teacher teacher female governor governor lady lawyer lawyer career woman sales rep, associate, executive coed student
4.2 Eliminate the generic use of "man." Replace occupational terms in man and boy , if possible, with terms include members of either gender
Sexist Non-sexist mankind human beings, people manpower staffing
Examples of De-gendered Usage
Sexist Degendered brotherhood community , unity businessman business executive or associate, entrepreneur cameraman camera operator, photographer cleaning lady maid, housekeeper, office cleaner clergyman priest, minister , clergy common man average person, ordinary people congressman member of Congress, representative, legislator copy boy/girl messenger, runner craftsman crafter, artist crewman crew member early man, caveman early humans, early societies Esquire Attorney at law, lawyer fireman firefighter forefathers ancestors, forebears foreman supervisor founding fathers founders, pioneers ironman triathlete layman layperson, laity mailman mail carrier, letter carrier , postal worker man (verb) to staff, run, operate manhood adulthood, maturity man-hours work hours, staff hours, hours worked manhunt a hunt for ... man-made artificial, hand made, synthetic, manufactured manpower work force, human resources, personnel, workers middleman go-between, liaison, agent policeman police officer repairman repairer right hand man assistant, helper rise of man rise of the human race, humanity or civilization salesman salesperson, sales representative, sales clerk, seller showman performer spokesman spokesperson, representative sportsmanship fair play, team play, sporting attitude statesman official, diplomat tradesman shopkeeper , trader, merchant weatherman forecaster working man workers, laborer, employee
Unacceptable Acceptable
cancer victim, AIDS victim cancer patient, person with AIDS
suffers from diabetes is diabetic
confined/bound to a wheelchair uses a wheelchair
dying of cancer living with cancer
Unacceptable: Debbie Stevens, a blind seventh grader at Riverview Junior High, won third prize in the county public-speaking competition.
Acceptable: Debbie Stevens, a seventh grader at Riverview Junior High, won third prize in the county public-speaking competition.
Unacceptable: Paraplegic James Alton competes in marathons with other crippled racers who train in wheelchairs.
Acceptable: James Alton, an attorney whose legs were paralyzed in an automobile accident, competes in marathons with other disabled racers who train in wheelchairs.
4.0 Language Biased Against Ethnic or Racial Groups
Clearly, ethnic and racial insults are unacceptable in professional writing. Less clear-cut, however, are the labels that are most acceptable for identifying specific ethnic and racial groups. Following are some general guidelines.
- Both black and African American are generally acceptable (although some members of this community prefer one or the other). The phrase people of color is sometimes used to include other racial groups, particularly for political purposes. The labels Negro and colored are generally not acceptable.
- Depending to some extent on regional preference, people with roots in Latin America refer to themselves as Hispanic , Latino/Latina , or Chicano/Chicana , or by place of origin ( Cuban American , Puerto Rican ). Except for specific audiences or individuals, Latino is generally acceptable.
- The preference is for Asian or Asian American rather than Oriental. Again, specific groups may prefer labels based on country of origin ( Japanese American , Korean ).
- Native American has gained favor over Indian. Depending on context, you might more accurately refer to a specific tribe or tribes.
- In Canada the official term for local native people is Inuit rather than Eskimo. Many Alaskan natives also prefer this term.
- Increasingly, people of mixed racial heritage are lobbying to be recognized as such, rather than being identified by a specific racial designation. Respect such concerns when appropriate.
Another concern is language that may suggest ethnic or racial stereotypes. Avoid unsupported generalizations about racial or ethnic groups, as well as racially based assumptions about individuals.
5.0 Language Biased Against Sexual Orientation
Biased language discriminates against people because of their sexual orientation. Such discrimination – like all discrimination – doesn't make business sense.
As with other bias, consider whether the reference to the person's sexual orientation is necessary to mention in the first place. In general, writing should be free of heterosexual bias.
The term sexual orientation is preferred over the term sexual preference. It is preferable to use the terms lesbians and gay men rather than homosexuals. The terms heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual can be used to describe both the identity and the behavior of subjects.
Avoid using examples of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons when referring to activities (e.g., parenting, athletic ability) that are erroneously associated only with heterosexual people by many readers.
Avoid inaccurate stereotypes about lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons. Stigmatizing or pathologizing language regarding gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons should be avoided (e.g., "sexual deviate", "sexual invert"). Take care that examples do not further stigmatize lesbians, gay men, or bisexual persons. An example such as "Psychologists need training in working with special populations such as lesbians, drug abusers, and alcoholics" is stigmatizing in that it lists a status designation (lesbians) with designations of people being treated.
When comparing a group of gay men or lesbians to others, use parallel terms. For example, contrasting lesbians with "the general public" or "normal women" portrays lesbians as marginal to society. More appropriate comparison groups might be "heterosexual women" and "heterosexual men and women."
For More Information
For a discussion on the philosophy behind avoiding sexist language, see Guidelines for Non-Sexist Use of Language by Virginia L. Warren, Chapman College. American Philosophical Association Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession at http://www.apa.udel.edu/apa/publications/texts/nonsexist.html
sources: Guidelines for Non-Sexist Use of Language by Virginia L. Warren, Chapman College. American Philosophical Association Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession at http://www.apa.udel.edu/apa/publications/texts/nonsexist.html; Non-Sexist Language from Purdue University OWL http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_nonsex.html; American Psychological Association at http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/language.html; The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing at https://mit.imoat.net/handbook/biased.htm; Gendered Terms and Nonsexist Language by Dawnelle Loiselle, Towson College, at http://www.towson.edu/~loiselle/genderedterms.html
