Editing Sexism (section)

== In language ==
Sexism in language exists when language devalues members of a certain gender.<ref name="Sexism in Language">{{cite web |url=https://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?37061 |title=Sexism in Language |publisher=Online.santarosa.edu |date=December 23, 2014 |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904020005/http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?37061 |archive-date=September 4, 2015}}</ref> Sexist language, in many instances, promotes male superiority.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.linguarama.com/ps/legal-themed-english/sexism-in-language.htm |title=Sexism In Language—Reading—Postscript |publisher=Linguarama.com |access-date=March 31, 2015 |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121082351/http://www.linguarama.com/ps/legal-themed-english/sexism-in-language.htm}}</ref> Sexism in language affects consciousness, perceptions of reality, encoding and transmitting cultural meanings and socialization.<ref name="Sexism in Language"/> Researchers have pointed to the semantic rule in operation in language of the [[Male as norm|male-as-norm]]. This results in sexism as the male becomes the standard and those who are not male are relegated to the inferior.<ref name="Spender 1980">{{cite book |last1=Spender |first1=Dale |title=Man Made Language |date=1983 |publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul |location=London |isbn=978-0-7100-0675-2 |pages=2–3 |url=https://archive.org/details/manmadelanguage0000spen/page/2/mode/1up?view=theater |url-access=registration}}</ref> Sexism in language is considered a form of indirect sexism because it is not always overt.<ref>Mills, S. (2008) Language and sexism. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved April 18, 2015 from {{cite web |url=http://www.langtoninfo.com/web_content/9780521001748_frontmatter.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207005145/https://www.langtoninfo.com/web_content/9780521001748_frontmatter.pdf |archive-date=December 7, 2013}}</ref>

Examples include:
* Using generic masculine terms to reference a group of mixed gender, such as "mankind", "man" (referring to humanity), "guys", or "officers and men"
* Using the singular masculine pronoun (he, his, him) as the default to refer to a person of unknown gender
* Terms ending in "-man" that may be performed by those of non-male genders, such as businessman, chairman, or policeman
* Using unnecessary gender markers, such as "male nurse" implying that simply a "nurse" is by default assumed to be female.<ref name="Kennison 2003">{{cite journal |last1=Kennison |first1=S. |last2=Trofe |first2=J. |title=Comprehending Pronouns: A Role for Word-Specific Gender Stereotype Information |journal=Journal of Psycholinguistic Research |volume=32 |issue=3 |year=2003 |pages=355–378 |doi=10.1023/A:1023599719948 |pmid=12845944 |s2cid=26245038}}</ref>

=== Sexist and gender-neutral language ===

{{See also|Gender-neutral language}}

Various 20th century feminist movements, from [[liberal feminism]] and [[radical feminism]] to [[standpoint feminism]], [[postmodern feminism]] and [[queer theory]], have considered language in their theorizing.<ref>Mille, Katherine Wyly and Paul McIlvenny. "Gender and Spoken Interaction: A Survey of Feminist Theories and Sociolinguistic Research in the United States and Britain." {{cite web |url=http://paul-server.hum.aau.dk/research/cv/Pubs/mille-mcilvenny.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=December 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050309145105/https://paul-server.hum.aau.dk/research/cv/Pubs/mille-mcilvenny.pdf |archive-date=March 9, 2005}}</ref> Most of these theories have maintained a critical stance on language that calls for a change in the way speakers use their language.

One of the most common calls is for gender-neutral language. Many have called attention, however, to the fact that the English language is not inherently sexist in its linguistic system, but the way it is used becomes sexist and gender-neutral language could thus be employed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam034/90034404.pdf |title=Feminist literary studies: an introduction |website=catdir.loc.gov |access-date=November 18, 2019}}</ref>

=== Sexism in languages other than English ===

[[Romanic languages]] such as [[French language|French]]<ref name="Sayare 2012">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/world/europe/france-drops-mademoiselle-from-official-use.html |title=France Drops 'Mademoiselle' From Official Use |last=Sayare |first=Scott |date=February 22, 2012 |work=The New York Times |access-date=August 26, 2019 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]<ref name="Mexico Advisesd Workers">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-12843948 |title=Mexico advises workers on sexist language |access-date=18 Feb 2024 |work=BBC News |date=March 23, 2011}}</ref> may be seen as reinforcing sexism, in that the masculine form is the default. The word "[[wikt:mademoiselle|mademoiselle]]", meaning "[[miss]]", was declared banished from French administrative forms in 2012 by Prime Minister [[François Fillon]].<ref name="Sayare 2012"/> Current pressure calls for the use of the masculine plural pronoun as the default in a mixed-sex group to change.<ref>{{cite journal |jstor=40545648 |title=Attacking a Legacy of Sexist Grammar in the French Class: A Modest Beginning |first=Culley Jane |last=Carson |date=1 January 1993 |journal=Feminist Teacher |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=34–36}}</ref> As for Spanish, Mexico's Ministry of the Interior published a guide on how to reduce the use of sexist language.<ref name="Mexico Advisesd Workers"/>

[[German language|German]] speakers have also raised questions about how sexism intersects with grammar.<ref>{{cite web |last=Nandi |first=Jacinta |url=http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/03/05/grappling-with-language-sexism/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307092229/http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate-uk/2011/03/05/grappling-with-language-sexism/ |archive-date=March 7, 2011 |title=Grappling with language sexism |publisher=blogs.reuters.com |date=March 5, 2011 |access-date=March 31, 2015}}</ref> The German language is heavily inflected for gender, number, and case; nearly all nouns denoting the occupations or statuses of human beings are gender-differentiated. For more gender-neutral constructions, gerund nouns are sometimes used instead, as this eliminates the grammatical gender distinction in the plural, and significantly reduces it in the singular. For example, instead of ''die Studenten'' ("the men students") or ''die Studentinnen'' ("the women students"), one writes ''die Studierenden'' ("the [people who are] studying").<ref>{{cite news |last=Osel |first=Johann |date=February 18, 2015 |title=Gleichberechtigung im Studium: Studenten, äh, Studierende |language=de |newspaper=Sueddeutsche.de |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bildung/gleichberechtigung-im-studium-studenten-aeh-aeh-studierende-1.2355340}}</ref> However, this approach introduces an element of ambiguity, because gerund nouns more precisely denote one currently engaged in the activity, rather than one who routinely engages in it as their primary occupation.<ref>Osel, ibid.</ref>

In [[Chinese language|Chinese]], some writers have pointed to sexism inherent in the structure of written characters. For example, the character for man is linked to those for positive qualities like courage and effect while the character for wife is composed of a female part and a broom, considered of low worth.<ref>{{cite journal |jstor=4316075 |title=Sexism in the Chinese Language |first=Dali |last=Tan |date=1 January 1990 |journal=[[NWSA Journal]] |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=635–639}}</ref>

=== Gender-specific pejorative terms ===
{{See also category|Sex- and gender-related slurs}}
Gender-specific pejorative terms intimidate or harm another person because of their gender. Sexism can be expressed in language with negative gender-oriented implications,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/media/7480/sst-guidance-quick-guide.pdf |title=Guidance for schools on preventing and responding to sexist, sexual and transphobic bullying: quick guide |date=January 1, 2009 |publisher=Great Britain Department for Children, Schools and Families |oclc=663427461 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716122907/http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/media/7480/sst-guidance-quick-guide.pdf |archive-date=July 16, 2014}}</ref> such as [[Disdain|condescension]]. For example, one may refer to a female as a "girl" rather than a "woman", implying that she is subordinate or not fully mature. Other examples include obscene language. Some words are offensive to transgender people, including "tranny", "she-male", or "he-she". Intentional [[Transphobia#Misgendering and exclusion|misgendering]] (assigning the wrong gender to someone) and the pronoun "it" are also considered pejorative.<ref name="Mills College 2013">[[Mills College at Northeastern University|Mills College]] Transgender Best Practices Taskforce & Gender Identity and Expression Sub-Committee of the Diversity and Social Justice Committee. [https://www.mills.edu/diversity/Transgender-Best-Practices-02-18-2013.pdf ''Report on Inclusion of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students Best Practices, Assessment and Recommendations''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200448/http://www.mills.edu/diversity/Transgender-Best-Practices-02-18-2013.pdf |date=March 4, 2016 }} Oakland, Calif.: Mills College, February 2013, p. 9.</ref><ref name="Sandeen 2011">Anti-transgender Language [http://lgbtweekly.com/2011/02/03/anti-transgender-language/ ''Commentary: Trans Progressive'' by Autumn Sandeen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703144748/http://lgbtweekly.com/2011/02/03/anti-transgender-language/ |date=July 3, 2013 }} San Diego, Calif.: ''San Diego LGBT Weekly'', February 3, 2011.</ref>