GAD 101: Lecture 1 Generic “Man”

(Gender Fair Language) •All humanity is subsumed in the terms “man,” “father,”
“brother,” “master.”
Language articulates consciousness. • THE PROBLEM:
• As children, we learn to use language to express our • Confusion. “Man” is often associated with the adult
basic needs and feelings male and it is difficult to distinguish if it is used in the
• As we grow older, we use language to form our literal sense or in the generic sense.
opinions and order our thoughts. • Inequality. It reflects gender inequality because
women are never seen in terms of general or
Language reflects culture. representative humanity.
• Cultural meanings and values are verbalized and • Othering. “Man” represents the universe and the
transmitted through language human while woman is the “other”.
• As a result, language becomes a tool for
perpetuating stereotypes
Avoid using the generic masculine!
Language affects socialization. ALTERNATIVES:
• We learn the norms of the society or group that we are
in, and conform to these norms • Replace “man” with specific nouns or verbs that say
• Children learning a language absorb all the underlying explicitly what you
meanings of words mean (“labor,” “human resources,” “personnel” instead
• Inequalities reflected in language can affect the child’s of “manpower”)
beliefs and behaviors • Use nouns that encompass both man and woman
(“humanity” instead of “mankind”)
Gender-Based Discrimination • In making general statements, add “women”
•Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of (Example: “Man is vulnerable.” Say “Women and men
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): it is any are vulnerable.” instead.
distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the
basis of sex, which has the purpose or effect of denying The Generic “He” and “His”
equal exercise of human rights and fundamental THE PROBLEM:
freedoms in all fields of human endeavor. • There is no gender-neutral singular pronoun in the
English language. So by default, “he” and “his” are often
Elements of Gender-Based Discrimination used in the generic sense. However, these pronouns,
•Action: that distinguishes, excludes or restricts a when used to replace generic “man,” pose the same
person problems.
•Basis: The sex, gender identity or expression, sexual
orientation of the person Use gender-neutral pronouns.
•Purpose or effect: Person discriminated is denied the
equal exercise of human rights and fundamental • EXAMPLE: “A manager is responsible for his
freedoms. employees.”

Sexism in Language • ALTERNATIVES:

• Use of language that devalues members of a sex or • Plural: “Managers are responsible for their
gender, and thus fosters gender inequality employees.”
• Drop it: “A manager is responsible for employees.”
Why is sexism in language considered gender-
• Drop and replace with an article: “A manager is
based discrimination?
• Renders members of one sex or gender invisible or responsible for his the employees.”
trivializes them • Repeat the noun: “A manager is a responsible officer.
• Perpetuates notions of male supremacy A manager is accountable for employees’ actions.”
• Promotes gender role stereotyping • Use a neutral word: “A manager is responsible for
one’s employees.”
What are the kinds of sexist language? • Use second-person pronouns: “If you are a manager,
you are responsible for your employees.”
1. Language which excludes members of one sex or
gender or renders them invisible
• Recast: “Employees are the responsibility of
managers.”
Terms ending in “man” but refer to functions 3. Language that disparages and marginalizes women
performed by either sex
• THE PROBLEM: Language that disparages and marginalizes
• Some professions and occupations have become women (or persons of another gender)
gendered, often excluding, or at least discouraging the • PROBLEM:
other sex from pursuing the profession • Some commonly used terms inherently represent
• Paints the picture of the ideal person for the women as having less worth than men
profession or occupation as a man (most often); as a • Some words and phrases have, over time and usage,
result, women have difficulty entering the profession become associated with negative connotations
or advancing their career
4. Language that fosters unequal gender relations
Eliminate stereotyping: Avoid terms in titles that refer Lack of parallelism
to sex! • PROBLEM:
• When writing titles or terms referring to occupations, • Language that puts one sex at an unequal footing
avoid using words that suggest the job is not normally with the other and thus perpetuates gender inequality
or properly performed by one sex or the other.
EXAMPLE: Address men and women uniformly
• Policeman -> Police officer •In formal correspondence, don’t use “Dear Messrs.,”
• Fireman -> Firefighter “Dear Sirs,” or any similar format when addressing a
• Congressman -> Representative, Legislator body of several individuals.
• Chairman -> Chairperson •Instead, use gender-neutral opening statements:
• Councilman -> Councilor • EXAMPLE: “Dear board members,” or “Dear
• Spokesman -> Spokesperson councilors”
•Use the corresponding title for females whenever a
Language use that refers to men by default title is appropriate for males.
• Generic words are used to refer exclusively to men. • EXAMPLE: “Dr. Gina Ramos” or “Prof. Maria Cruz”
• THE PROBLEM: •In letters to unknown persons, be specific instead of
•It results in inaccurate depiction of the situation. using “Dear Sir,” “Gentlemen” and assuming that the
• The generic term does not leave room to recipient is a male
acknowledge existence of women. • ALTERNATIVES: “Dear Colleague” or “Editor” or
“Professor”
2. Language that trivializes women, diminishes their Use parallelism
stature • Same goes for couples
• WRONG: “Mr. and Mrs. Manny Pacquiao”
Feminine suffixes (-ess, -ette, -trix, -enne) • CORRECT: “Mr. and Ms. Manny and Jinkee Pacquaio”;
• THE PROBLEM: Unnecessary reference is made to the “Mr. and Mrs. Pacquiao”; “Manny and Jinkee
person’s sex Pacquiao”; “Manny and Jinkee”
•Usage suggests triviality, unimportance, or inferiority • Even in work relationships where one is superior than
of women occupying such a position the other, stick to parallelism:
• WRONG: “Rep. Arcillas and her assistant Girlie”
Use of sex-linked modifiers • CORRECT: Rep. Arcillas and her assistant Ms. Santos”
THE PROBLEM: Sounds gratuitous, is patronizing and
suggests that the norm for some occupations is for a Use of terms that call attention to a particular sex in
particular sex. designating concepts, roles, occupations, etc.
• Implies that they are not real doctors, lawyers, etc. •PROBLEM:
• When you need to point out the female aspect of the • Calls unnecessary attention to the sex of the subject
person occupying the position, use “female” or • Makes unnecessary distinction between women and
“woman” instead of lady. men, thereby perpetuating stereotypes
5. Gender polarization of meanings in the use of Eliminate sexism in symbolic representations of
adjectives gender in words, sentences and text
• Sexism in contexts: Take the context, analyze the
Gender Polarization meaning and find a non-sexist alternative
• PROBLEM: The terms “womanly,” “manly,” • EXAMPLE: “feelings of brotherhood,” “feelings of
“feminine” and “masculine” depict each sex as being fraternity”
solely associated with particular attributes, and • ALTERNATIVE: “feelings of kinship,” “feelings of
therefore perpetuate stereotypes solidarity”
• ALTERNATIVE: Use specific words instead to express • EXAMPLE: “founding father”
every shade of meaning • ALTERNATIVE: “founder,” “founding leader”
• PROBLEM: Some words have “manly” and “womanly” • EXAMPLE: “Father of Modern Medicine”
versions • ALTERNATIVE: “Founder of Modern Medicine”
• ALTERNATIVE: Use a generic word not associated
with gender stereotypes Preferred Pronouns
•Preferred Pronoun: A term used to describe gender
Sexually derogatory meanings attached to words pronouns that a person wants others to use when
referring to women referring to them, such as: he/him/his, she/her/ hers,
•Mistress vs. Master or they/them/theirs. Pronouns may not conform to
•Hostess vs. Host societal norms
•Madam vs. Sir •Rule #1: If you know the person’s gender identity, use
•Matron vs. Patron the appropriate pronoun and title.
•Rule #2: If you don’t know, feel free to ask.
6. Lexical Gap •Rule #3: If you make a mistake and are asked to
• THE PROBLEM: In the English language, there is correct it, do so.
an absence or lack of words that refer to women’s
experiences. Sexist language in quoted material
•Paraphrase the quote using non-sexist language, and
7. Hidden Assumptions give the original author credit for the idea
Compare the statements: • Quote directly and add sic after the sexist part
• Statement 1: “Men can care for children just as well •Partially quote the material, rephrase the sexist part
as women.” and name the source
• Statement 2: “Women can care for children just as
well as men.” Gender Roles & Socialization

Other Practical Tips a. Definition – As children, we develop gender-related

Eliminate sexism when addressing people beliefs and expectations through our observations of
formally and interactions with the people around us. An “agent”
• Use “Ms.” instead of “Miss” or “Mrs.,” even when a of gender socialization is any person or group that
woman’s marital status is known plays a role in the childhood gender socialization
• Use a married woman's first name instead of her process. Gender socialization is a lifelong process. The
husband’s (e.g., “Ms. Annabelle Lee” not “Mrs. Herman beliefs about gender that we acquire in childhood can
Lee”) affect us throughout our lives. The impact of this
• Use the corresponding title for females (“Ms.,” “Dr.,” socialization can be big (shaping what we believe we
“Prof.”) whenever a title is appropriate for males are capable of accomplishing and thus potentially
determining our life’s course), small (influencing the
color we choose for our bedroom walls), or
somewhat in the middle.
• As adults, our beliefs about gender may have grown - Manipulation, Canalizatiuon, Verbal Appelkatiuons,
more nuanced and flexible, but gender and Activity Exposure
socialization can still affect our behavior, whether in
school, the workplace, or our relationships. Manipulation
- Refers to ways by which parents deter or encourage
Roles- Assigned by society to males and females behavior on the basis of appropriateness as regards
Activities- Deemed by society as appropriate for males gender
and females - Parnts encourage “noral behaviorthrough praises and
Behaviors and Characteristics – Expected of males and rewards. And discourage “abnornmal
females behaviuor through punishment or disapproval.

Majority of behvaioral scientists agree: Gneder roles Canalization

ARE NOT inborn. They are learned in the process of - Refers to the way which parents channel the child’s
socialization. interest in acitivites In conjunction with gender as
deemed appropriate
Socialization happens in social institution
- Perpetuate assignment fo characteristics associated Verbal Appellation
with women and men - Use of language to label children in a way that
- Influence gfende roles socialization reinforces appropriate gender identification
- Provide a mechanism of social control that maintains - Telling children what they are and what expectation
gender roles we have of them.

Socialization Activity Exposure

- The process by which an indibvidual learns to - Boys and girls are encouraged to do differen activities
conform to the norm of the group where one to familiarize them with gender-approprite tasks
- Is born with, internalizes these norms, acquire status, - Activites conformity to norms and practice reinforce
and plan corresponding roles. appropriate gende identifaction

Social Insitution ii. Mass Media – media, including movies, TV, and
i. Family – parents are typically a child’s first source of books, teaches children about
information about gender. Starting what it means to be a boy or a girl. Media conveys
at birth, parents communicate different expectations information about the role of
to their children depending on gender in people’s lives and can reinforce gender
their sex. For example, a son may engage in more stereotypes. For example,
roughhousing with his father, while consider an animated film that depicts two female
a mother takes her daughter shopping. The child may characters: a beautiful but
learn from their parents that passive heroine, and an ugly but active villain. This
certain activities or toys correspond with a particular media model, and countless
gender (think of a family that gives others, reinforces ideas about which behaviors are
their son a truck and their daughter a doll). Even acceptable and valued (and which are not) for a
parents who emphasize gender particular gender.
equality may inadvertently reinforce some stereotypes - Reinforces gender stereotypes and sex-0based
due to their own gender discrimation through media portyal of men and
socialization. women.
- primay source of socialization
- Has the most influence because the formaticve years iii. School – Teachers and school administrators model
of evry individual is alsmot always spent with and gender roles and
eveloped by the family.
sometimes demonstrate gender stereotypes by reinforce the family unit to power dynamics that
responding to male and female reinforce gender roles, organized
students in different ways. For example, separating religion fosters a shared set of socialized values that
students by gender for are passed on through
activities or disciplining students differently depending society.
on their gender may - Reinfors gender stereotypes through religious
reinforce children’s developing beliefs and symbols, teachings, doctorines, and their
assumptions. interpretations.

Educational Institutions vii. The State, similar with Religion, is what governs the
- The formal school system promotes and encourages people and sets laws
the different gender roles between men and women in that dictate what is and what is not, what should and
many ways. should not be
- Creates kawa bd policies that ensure the maintenance
iv. Workplace - Organizational cultures shape and of the system
reinforce socially appropriate - Instrumental in passing laws that are dicrimiantory to
roles for men and women. Drawing on a performativity women and other sexual orientations
framework, which
assumes that gender is socially constructed through
gendered “performances,”
- Gnder discirmayion in relation yo occupation an opay
- Balance of family life and work
- Question of power relations as well as access to ND
CONTROL OVER REOUSRCES.

v. Peer Group – peer interactions also contribute to

gender socialization. Children
tend to play with same-gender peers. Through these
interactions, they learn what
their peers expect of them as boys or girls. These
lessons may be direct, such as
when a peer tells the child that a certain behavior is or
is not “appropriate” for

their gender. They can also be indirect, as the child

observes same-and other-
gendered peers’ behavior over time. These comments
and comparisons may

become less overt over time, but adults continue to

turn to same-gendered peers
for information about how they are supposed to look
and act as a man or a
woman.
vi. Religion - Many religious institutions also uphold
gender norms and contribute
to their enforcement through socialization. From
ceremonial rites of passage that