Non-sexist language: A brief how-to

I was pleased to see that yesterday’s post on the importance of non-sexist language attracted some attention.

​A good friend commented, “Then there’s the how do I avoid the he/she, his/her slash writing. We need a nice, neutral but polite pronoun without being so non-personal as it/its. And can't do the they/their because most times not plural. As always, man, thanks for your wisdom.”

Setting aside his generous use of “wisdom,” I’ll point out that would-be neutral pronouns are vying for acceptance as we speak—like ze, hir, and zir—but they have yet to catch on. Meanwhile, here’s a slightly edited excerpt from a how-to I posted on my Response Agency blog. To read the original, click here.

Usually (not always), his/her is the lazy writer’s default. You can often do better with a little thought and skill. Here are some suggestions.

The Nix the Possessive Pronoun Technique: Instead of the everyone took his or her seat, how about everyone took a seat.

The Find the Neuter Word Technique: Instead of mankind and womankind use humankind. Instead of workman use worker. Instead of chairman use chair.

The Make It Plural Technique: Instead of the typical customer likes his or her sandwich made fresh you can say customers like their sandwiches made fresh. 

The Break Down and Rewrite Technique: For that matter, you can say the typical customer likes fresh-made sandwiches.

The Let Go of Your Favorite Cliché Technique: I don’t care if you grew up saying old wives’ tale. It is sexist and then some. Try nonsense, untrue, fiddle-faddle, claptrap, questionable, baloney, myth, hogwash, bull...** 

Sexist expressions are good at taking writers unawares. It takes vigilance to recognize them and root them out. When in doubt, find a with-it slightee and ask, “Is this wording sexist?” Don’t argue with the answer.*** 

​Better yet, when in doubt, rewrite. All you need is a little creativity. You’re a writer. Finding better ways to say it is, or should be, what you’re about. Oh, and don’t pout about having to do it. Pouting is unbecoming.

—Steve Cuno

*There is no shortage of ways to brand yourself a sexist dinosaur. A friend asked me to review an early draft of a marketing book he was writing. To illustrate the importance of incentive offers, he attempted a humorous take on the Old Testament story of Saul’s having offered a daughter to David as an incentive to kill Goliath. I advised my friend that joking about women being awarded as property was offensive. He retorted, “I hate that politically correct crap.” Hate it he may, but readers who feel otherwise are free to express their ire by not buying his book or retaining his services.

**When my goal is humor and irony, I render it indeterminate-aged significant others’ tale. 

***Speaking of rewriting, I originally wrote that sentence, Don’t argue when they answer. But that didn’t agree with the preceding “with-it slightee,” which is singular. And the last thing I wanted was Don’t argue when he or she answers.