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What is Gender-Inclusive language?

What is Gender-Inclusivity?

The U.S. Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal.”

Generations of Americans have been taught that in this context, the word “men” should be read as including both men and women.

Other common instances of gendered language include words that assume connections between jobs or roles and gender (like “policeman”) and language conventions that differ depending on the gender of the person being discussed (like using titles that indicate a person’s marital status).

Neutral alternatives

Gender-Neutral alternatives 

Star Trek writers developing material for contemporary viewers were able to create a more inclusive version of the famous phrase “where no man has gone before” while still preserving its pleasing rhythm: Star Trek explorers now venture “where no one has gone before.”

Gendered noun Gender-neutral noun
man person, individual
mankind people, human beings, humanity
freshman first-year student
man-made machine-made, synthetic, artificial
the common man the average person
chairman chair, chairperson, coordinator, head
mailman mail carrier, letter carrier, postal worker
policeman police officer
steward, stewardess flight attendant
actor, actress actor
congressman legislator, congressional representative
Sir (in “Dear Sir,” etc.) Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Editor, Dear Members of the Search Committee, To Whom it May Concern

 

Gender neutral nouns

What can you do when you’re faced with one of those gender-neutral or gender-ambiguous language situations? You have several options:


1. Try making the nouns and pronouns plural

If it works for your particular sentence, using plural forms is often an excellent option. Here’s an example of a sentence that can easily be rephrased:

  • A student who loses too much sleep may have trouble focusing during [his/her] exams.

If we make “student” plural and adjust the rest of the sentence accordingly, there’s no need for gendered language (and no confusion or loss of meaning):

  • Students who lose too much sleep may have trouble focusing during their exams.

2. Use “they” as a singular pronoun

Most of the time, the word “they” refers to a plural antecedent. For example,

  • Because experienced hikers know that weather conditions can change rapidly, they often dress in layers.

But using “they” with a singular antecedent is not a new phenomenon, and while it remains uncommon in formal writing, it has become quite common in speech. In a conversation, many people would not even notice how “they” is being used here:

  • Look for the rental car company’s representative at the airport exit; they will be holding a sign with your name on it.

Some people are strongly opposed to the use of “they” with singular antecedents and are likely to react badly to writing that uses this approach. Others argue that “they” should be adopted as English’s standard third-person, gender-neutral pronoun in all writing and speaking contexts. Keep your audience in mind as you decide whether the singular “they” is a good solution for any gender-related problems in your writing.