Required fields are marked *. It should hopefully go without saying, but some terms are inherently sexist. Do Not Use Words Like Boy or Man When Referring to Both Genders. Some types of work have typically been done by one gender or the other. Watch out for details that focus on a woman’s traditional role, such as mentioning whether a female job candidate or someone running for office has children when you do not do the same for a male in the same position. You want your writing to be free from bias that will alienate a potential reader. Try them in your writing! Women have fought against discrimination and taken their rightful place in politics, academia, business, and many other areas of life. Use Generic Language Instead of Words with Masculine Markers. Here are some things to watch out for. The word “man” can be used to describe an adult male as well as adult human. It was once, as James Brown sang, a man’s world. Please come back and submit a new contest anytime! Be conscious of referring to adult women as “girls,” since some of them may find this type of language offensive. Alternatives: human beings, people, humanity, humankind, men and women, the human race, Original Expression: man’s achievements Alternative: push, shove, tug, drag, mistreat, maul, rough up, jostle, roust, paw, Avoid Adding Gender Markers to Occupations. Language and writing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition, which is probably why many people who write for pay are drawn to this line of work. Telecommuting and flexible jobs at Flexjobs. We strive to be the best source of freelance writing jobs on the web, and we maintain our quality thanks to employers like you. But they can also be stated less clearly. It would be unusual to use these in academic or formal writing, so we won’t dwell on … Here are some examples: Original Expression: the man in the street, the common man “Gunman” should be changed to “shooter,” even if the person who pulled the trigger is a male. As such, we should avoid such generalizations even if they’re meant to be positive! Part of avoiding sexist language in writing is not to treat either gender as less than what are. But in case you’re not sure, referring to Boudica as “some old hag who fought the Romans” will not win you high marks for a history essay. As such, we have to be careful about our word choice so that we don’t accidentally exclude or insult anyone based on sexist or gendered language. Your email address will not be published. Be conscious of referring to adult women as “girls,” since some of them may find this type of language offensive. Solution : Ask the writer to define the thesis . If you are looking at a sentence and you are not sure whether it would pass the “neutrality test,” turn it on its head and ask yourself whether you would use that expression or ask that question or whatever if the subject were male instead of female (or vice versa). Would you like some more tips on how to avoid using sexist language in writing? If you are writing about females in their early teen years for a publication or website specifically for them, it would be appropriate to refer to them as “girls.” Always consider your audience when choosing a term. In this sentence, we avoid gendered language, making it more inclusive. You can say, “That woman is a pilot” or “works as a pilot” but since there is no corresponding job called “man pilot” to single her out because of her gender is to be avoided. Not a lady to mess with unless you like being run down in a chariot. Part of avoiding sexist language in writing is not to treat either gender as less than what are. Example: Every person I spoke to said he could attend the “Male Survivors of Spousal Abuse Meeting.”. Jodee has the privilege of working with wonderful clients and doing work that allows her to learn something new every day. A classic example is the word “bossy,” which tends to be applied to women more than men (who are instead more usually described as “assertive”). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Instead of using “fireman,” or “policeman” you would use “firefighter” and “police officer.” If you had to talk about a “busboy” in a restaurant change the language to refer to “bus staff,” since both males and females do this type of work. Misogynistic Language. We only accept jobs that pay. However, the author is not discussing an actual, specific man in this case. Example : Ask him to define the thesis. Alternative: directly, frankly, Original Expression: man up Even though it took her some time to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up, she finally has it right. As a writer, one of your functions is to avoid using sexist language in what you produce. Home How to Avoid Sexist or Gendered Language. Its meaning is so closely associated with adult male that using “man” and other words with masculine markers should be avoided when writing. If we are using language that is drawing attention to our differences unnecessarily, then those parts of our work need to be re-examined and reworked to remove the sexist language. As such, you might find sentences like this in older books: How someone solves a problem may depend on his past experience. Alternatives: human achievements, people’s achievements, humanity’s achievements, Original Expression: man-made This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If the answer is “Yes,” then you likely have a neutral piece of writing. Alternative: Deal with it; Put up with it; Tough it out, Original Expression: manhandle: To avoid this issue, you can use “they” in your sentence as long as the noun you use is changed to a plural form. No two assignments are exactly alike, even if they happen to deal with similar topics, you may get to work with clients in other countries and you are constantly learning something new. Alternative: I’m an ambitious person or I consider myself to be quite ambitious. Freelance Writing Jobs | A Freelance Writing Community and Freelance Writing Jobs Resource © 2020 Splashpress Media. You can call it a “personhole” if you like, but we don’t recommend it. We all need to regard each other as individuals as opposed to a gender. Revising to avoid sexist language will help make your message more accessible to readers who might otherwise feel excluded. And if you need any help coming up with alternatives to gendered language in your writing, it never hurts to have a professional proofreader check your documents. Original Expression: I’m as ambitious as the next man. If you are trying to find an alternative to using the male pronoun to describe a mixed group of people, you may try using “he or she” instead. Pronouns are a great example, since the male pronouns “he” and “his” were often used to refer to any non-specific person in the past. These could be sweeping statements about a whole gender (e.g., “All men are lazy”). Here, the idea of women being “nurturing” is presented as a positive. Before attempting the exercise, you may find it helpful to review sexist language, biased language, gender, and generic pronouns. Unless the extra information is relevant to the topic you are writing about, it is best to leave it out. Do Not Use the Words Girl and Woman Interchangeably. Traditionally, “He” was used to refer to all members of a group, whether it was made up of all males or males and females. But things have changed. In this sentence, his is used as a generic form because it is intended to refer to any doctor, male or female. If you want make a change or wish to remove your job ad in the future, please email support@freelancewriting.com. Her work has appeared online and in print, and she has written on topics ranging from commercial property to addiction, insurance, personal development and the paranormal. Jodee Redmond is a freelance writer, blogger, and editor who has been working on a full-time basis for more than a decade. Given the importance of language in shaping our thoughts, shutting down the pattern of low-key sexist speech is essential to changing attitudes and behavior. Alternatives: ordinary people, the average person, Original Expression: mankind And not just because it’s too informal. Avoid Reinforcing Gender Stereotypes When Writing. We’ve struggled with how to present an idea in the most inclusive way, and fallen short – likely without realizing that we were even doing it. We are proud to post your contest here, free of charge. Becomes: Mark students’ names off the list after they have signed in. As well as being careful about picking your words, take care not to make hasty generalizations based on sex or gender. FreelanceWriting.com hosts some of the most talented freelance writers on the web, so you’ve come to the right place to find contestants. Required fields are marked *. Please continue to submit jobs early and often. Similar issues can arise with how we describe people of different genders.

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