Editing Sexism (section)

=== 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>