Gender-neutral language
You might already know that gender can be either masculine (he, him, himself), feminine (she, her, herself) or neutral (it, itself). But, did you know that some nouns are automatically associated with a specific gender? For example, the word ‘‘businessman’’ indicates that the person is a man. Now that our world has changed, both men and women must be considered as equal. If you don’t want to appear rude or sexist, here are some options that you can use :
1. Use gender-neutral nouns :
Here are some modern examples of occupational titles that you can use instead of the traditional old ones to write and speak without gender bias.
USE | DON’T USE |
Business executive | Businessman |
Firefighter | Fireman |
Police officer | Policeman |
Server | Waitress |
Letter carrier | Mailman |
Representative | Spokesman |
2. Change pronoun :
When it comes to singular pronouns, a way to make your statement neutral is to change the sentence from singular to plural.
USE | DON’T USE |
All students must bring their own dictionary. | Every student must bring his own dictionary. |
All teachers are allowed their ten-minute break. | Every teacher is allowed his ten-minute break. |
Also, don’t forget to stay neutral when it comes to sexual orientation.
USE | DON’T USE |
A gathering was held for the engineers and their spouses. | A gathering was held for the engineers and their wives. |
Is your friend coming with someone to the party? | Is you friend coming with her boyfriend to the party? |
Info : cle.anglaise@USherbrooke.ca