Non-sexist language

Sexist words have been part of the English language since men dominated the world. Today, with the equality of the sexes, the English language has changed. Gone are words like policeman, stewardess, fisherman and housewife, all of which indicate the sex of the person mostly likely to have that job. The first words to change were those with -man on the end, such as fireman and policeman. What about the women who hold these same jobs? Should there be two different words – one for women and one for men, or should there be only a single word for both sexes? Many people agree that English should reflect the equality of the sexes, so little by little the language has been getting rid of its sexist words. Here is a list of words that have changed to become non-sexist.

Don’t use man:

Man is always exploring the limits of his environment.

Use people:

People are always exploring the limits of their environment.

Don’t use mankind:

Mankind has not yet solved the problem of global food distribution.

Use humanity / humankind / people / human beings:

Humanity has not yet solved the problem of global food distribution.

Don’t use manpower:

They can’t build that bridge without trained manpower.

Use workers / workforce:

They can’t build that bridge without a trained workforce.

Don’t use man-made:

Nylon was one of the first man-made fibers.

Use artificial / manufactured / synthetic:

Nylon was one of the first synthetic fibers.

Don’t use businessman / businesswoman:

As a businessman with interests around the world, he’s always traveling.

Use business person / business executive:

As a business person with interests around the world, he’s always traveling.

Don’t use chairman:

She became chairman of the fund-raising committee.

Use chairperson / chair:

She became chair of the fund-raising committee.

Don’t use fisherman:

For three months a year, he is a fisherman off the coast of British Columbia.

Use fisher:

For three months a year, he is a fisher off the coast of British Columbia.

Don’t use fireman:

Firemen are well-respected in the community.

Use fire fighter:

Fire fighters are well-respected in the community.

Don’t use foreman:

His foreman fired him for not wearing his hard hat.

Use supervisor:

His supervisor fired him for not wearing his hard hat.

Don’t use mailman:

The mailman delivered the package I had been waiting for.

Use letter carrier:

The letter carrier delivered the package I had been waiting for.

Don’t use policeman / policewoman:

She told the policeman that she hadn’t heard the gun shot.

Use police officer:

She told the police officer that she hadn’t heard the gun shot.

Don’t use salesman:

The salesman understood exactly what I needed.

Use sales person / sales clerk:

The sales person understood exactly what I needed.

Don’t use actress:

She was a stage actress for twenty years.

Use actor:

She was a stage actor for twenty years.

Don’t use ballerina:

She’s a ballerina with the Royal Ballet in London.

Use ballet dancer:

She’s a ballet dancer with the Royal Ballet in London.

Don’t use heroine:

Annie, the heroine of the story, escaped and came back home.

Use hero:

Annie, the hero of the story, escaped and came back home.

Don’t use hostess

As everyone sang Happy Birthday, the hostess brought out a cake with thirteen candles.

Use host:

As everyone sang Happy Birthday, the host brought out a cake with thirteen candles.

Don’t use housewife:

After ten years in the corporate world, she quit to become a full-time housewife.

Use homemaker:

After ten years in the corporate world, she quit to become a full-time homemaker.

Don’t use stewardess:

She got a job as a stewardess with Air Canada.

Use flight attendant:

She got a job as a flight attendant with Air Canada.

Don’t use waitress:

She’s been a waitress at the diner ever since I can remember.

Use server:

She’s been a server at the diner ever since I can remember.

Also, the pronouns he/him/his and she/her, if unknown or unimportant, can change to they/them/their in informal language.

For example:

Formal: Everyone who bought tickets to the concert can get his or her money back.

Informal: Everyone who bought tickets to the concert can get their money back.

Formal: Someone on the bus told me that he needed to buy his son a new bike.

Informal: Someone on the bus told me that they needed to buy their son a new bike.