EL 102 (Gender and Society) │Midterm Period

Lesson 2: Gender-Fair Language

Lesson Objectives:
1. Identify the ways language discriminates against women;
2. State forms of discrimination in language; and
3. Explain how gender-fair language can be realized.

Language and Gender Relations

Language is a potent tool for how humans understand and participate in the world. It can shape how we see
society. It is a part of the culture. In this regard, language is not a neutral force; it enforces certain ideas about people
including gender.
Many gendered assumptions are present when it comes to language. Language defines men and women
differently as seen in common adjectives associated with these genders. Unequal relations can stem from statements
that trivialize one gender’s experience or perpetuate one gender’s supremacy. It evaluates gender, insomuch as
language trivializes or devalues certain characteristics. Thelma Kintanar and Angela Tongson, in their 2014 book
Gender-fair Language: A Primer, ([Link]
[Link]) focused on three aspects of language that inform how gender is shaped – language articulates
consciousness, reflects culture, and affects socialization. Like gender stereotyping, Language influences how one sees
his or her gender and perceives other people’s gender.

Violations of Gender-fair Language

Sexist language is a tool that reinforces unequal gender relations through sex-role stereotypes,
microaggressions, and sexual harassment. Language can be used to abuse, such as in the case of sexual harassment,
or to perpetuate stereotypes. It can from subtle messages that reinforce unfair relations, such as how “men cannot
take care of children” or “women cannot be engineers” which may impact how one views his or her capabilities. All in
all, language is a powerful force that plays a significant role in how one perceives the world. Kintanar and Tongson
gave extensive examples of these violations in their book. The following are condensed versions and real-life examples
of violations of gender-fair language.

I. Invisibilization of women

The invisibilization of women is rooted in the assumption that men are dominant and are the norm of the fullness
of humanity, and women do not exist. Some obvious examples of women's invisibilization in language are:

• The generic use of masculine pronouns or the use of a masculine general. The use of the word “mankind”
assumes that men are representative of all people on this planet and that women’s presence or roles are not
acknowledged. Similarly, saying “guys” when referring to a mixed–gender group assumes that girls are
invisible, and calls attention to the male gender, giving them a stronger presence.

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 • The assumption is that certain functions or jobs are performed by men instead of both genders. For
example, the sentences “The farmers and their wives tilled the land.” or “The politicians and their wives lobbied
for change.” assume that men can have jobs as farmers and politicians, and women who do the same work
are still made to be known as wives, with their identities forever linked to being married to their husbands.
• The use of male job titles or terms ending in man to refer to functions that may be given to both
genders. For instance, the titles “businessman” and “chairman” assume that all businessmen or chairmen
are men and that certain jobs may not be for women, which is not true.

II. Trivialization of Women

• Bringing attention to the gender of a person, if that person is a woman. The use of “lady,” “girl,” or
“woman” along with the noun brings attention to the gender of the person rather than to the job or function.
Examples of these include “girl athlete,” “woman doctor,” “lady guard,” and “working wives.” This notion also
works for men who enter traditionally female jobs such as “male nurses,” “male nannies,” or “male secretaries.”

• The perception of women as immature. Women may be labeled as “darling” or “baby” by those who do not
know them, making them appear childlike or juvenile.

• The objectification, or likening to objects, of women. By being called “honey,” “sweets,” or “chick,” women
become devalued, especially if they are in an environment that merits formality such as the workplace.

III. Hidden Assumptions

Hidden assumptions in sentences can also be forms of microaggression if the underlying perceptions are
sexist and degrading. For example, the statement, “The father is babysitting his children,” assumes that the father is
not a caregiver and that any attempt he has at parenting is temporary as the mother is the main caregiver. A typical
example of a situation involving sexist language is shown in the following sample case.

Sample Case:
Aaron mentioned that his friends from his all-boys high school would often use the word “bakla” as an insult.
They would also use “bakla” to describe someone who lost at games or was weak at sports. He stopped doing this in
college. He shared that he already “grew up,” and stopped using terms like “bakla” as insults because he knows that
doing so may hurt someone who is gay. Perhaps, Aaron sees gender sensitivity in language as a sign of maturity.

IV. Philippine Culture and Language

Filipino or Tagalog is mainly gender-neutral, without gendered characteristics or titles for men or women.
Words that are gendered came from another culture and were adopted after 400 years of colonization. The values and
the shaping of the education system were influenced by Western powers and ideals. Filipinos portray a mix of identities,
an infusion of both native and foreign perspectives and values.

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Identities and Naming Things

Language is used to define what is feminine, masculine, and outside feminine or masculine. It is a tool for
understanding the world as well as for naming and describing people and things. Language gives a person the power
to define oneself and the external world and one’s place in it. It defines others as well, as one’s relationship with them.
Through language, people can reflect on their own gendered identities, and battle the definitions society imposes on
them.
Naming things gives them power. For example, sexual harassment was never seen as an issue as it was
never given a name. It was unwanted behavior in the workplace but was seen as something that could not be contended
with. Because it was unnamed, it was ignored by those in power as if it did not exist. Recognizing harassment for what
it is – by defining and describing the act – helped women around the world put mechanisms that would address
workplace harassment. Similarly, women who experiences date rape had no term to describe what occurred to them,
but naming their experience helped them come to terms with their issue.
Another example of “the problem that has no name” was given by Betty Friedan in her book. The Feminine
Mystique, in 1963. Friedan described it as the discontent that middle-class housewives felt in the United States from
the 1950s to the 1960s. In naming the issue that her fellow housewives felt, Friedan was able to highlight the structural
oppression experienced by housewives, that despite their basic needs being met, they were unable to take control of
their lives due to the limits society enforces on their reproductive roles.
Sexist Language and Culture
Gender socialization is the process by which roles are learned. A language that admonishes certain acts
depending on one’s gender is a form of externalized social control. Common themes of sexist language are the
commercialization and the trivialization of women. These sexist portrayals of women extend to the advertising industry,
entertainment industry, and the arts. The normalization of sexism makes violence against women and children
acceptable or tolerable. Using language for gender stereotyping can contribute to sexism by reinforcing the idea that
certain words and traits should only be associated with specific genders.
How people relate to each other on a day-to-day basis reinforces behavior, both positive and negative. To call
someone stupid every day could affect his or her potential. In turn, language through its repetition of roles, stereotypes,
and adjectives affects how one person enacts his or her capabilities. Constantly mocking or joking about women/LGBT,
sexualizing them, and making them appear weak would indeed make them internalize these ideas.
That being said, language is not inherently sexist. Being sexist depends on a specific culture. Similarly, a
culture’s attitude towards a certain gender may influence the words used, creating sexist language. Language is both
a symptom and a perpetrator of sexism and is the very telling of how society sees a certain gender.
Toward a Gender-fair Language
The use of gender-fair language in educational institutions and the removal of sexist language as imperative
to gender responsiveness are currently being advocated. GABRIELA (General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms,
Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) Women’s Party national president and party-list representative Liza Maza
called for a ban on sexist language in all official communication and documents in the House of Representatives.

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 The creation of a comprehensive gender-fair language policy and the evaluation of the effectiveness of
gender-fair language in institutions are indicators for a gender-fair institution. These actions are small steps one can
take in ensuring that institutions are indeed gender-fair. Language, then, is more than just the arrangement of words.
Cultures and values come from language and vice versa. Language is also a process that represents one’s views,
beliefs, and experiences. It must be changed to reflect the changes in the world as well as to be free from bias since
words can affect how a person sees oneself and others around him or her.

Supplemental Links:
• Guidelines for Gender-Inclusive Language In English. [Link]
language/[Link]
• How to Use Gender-Neutral Language at Work and Life. [Link]
• A Guide to How Gender-Neutral Language is Developing Around the World.
[Link]

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