gendered language
Last updatedWhat to know
Gendered language is any language that associates something with a particular gender, often unnecessarily so. While still common, gendered language can result in assumptions, stereotypes, and prescriptions around gender, including reinforcing the idea of a gender binary. Using gender-neutral terms whenever possible ensures language choice encompasses the whole population it could refer to (e.g., “server” instead of “waitress,” “parental leave” instead of “maternity leave”). Similarly, when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or unconfirmed, using the singular “they” rather than “her or she” helps avoid assumptions about gender.
Some terms or collective nouns often default to male pluralization (e.g., “man-hours,” “congressmen”). Using terms that neutralize gender (e.g., members of Congress) can avoid reinforcing patriarchal norms of men as the default.
Using gendered language when not relevant to a story can reinforce assumptions about gender or gender roles. However, when explicitly relevant to a story (e.g., one about the first woman vice president), such language can provide important context. If it’s not relevant to the story, writing “the vice president,” for example, avoids stereotyping and assumptions around gender. Some advocates argue that using “woman” or “man” as adjectives (e.g., “woman director” instead of “female director”) takes away the biological connotations of “female” and “male” and thus can be more accurate to someone’s identity.
In some instances, gendered language is hard to avoid, such as in direct quotes and some awards ceremony categories, or to match categories used by studies or polls. For cases in which this is relevant to your content and relates to profession or identity, it’s helpful for precision to ask how the individual identifies or describes their role.
Gendered language goes beyond pronouns. Stories themselves can reinforce gender roles and stereotypes. For instance, a story about the first woman CEO of a company may overemphasize her family life, which reinforces a gender stereotype about women being family-oriented.
Additional resources
- A guide to how gender-neutral language is developing around the world (The Washington Post)
- Gender-Inclusive Language (The Writing Center at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill)
- How to Use Gender-Neutral Language, and Why It’s Important to Try (Forbes)
Summary
While still common, gendered language can result in assumptions, stereotypes, and prescriptions around gender, including reinforcing the idea of a gender binary. Using gender-neutral terms whenever possible ensures language choice encompasses the whole population it could refer to (e.g., “server” instead of “waitress,” “parental leave” instead of “maternity leave”). Similarly, when referring to a person whose gender is unknown or unconfirmed, using the singular “they” rather than “he or she” avoids assuming someone’s gender or reinforcing a gender binary. Using gendered language when not relevant to a story can reinforce assumptions about gender or gender roles.