How to Avoid Gender-biased Language in Your Writing

Avoiding gender bias in your writing might be the last thing you’re worried about. You’re not biased about anything, right?

Well, we’re all biased about something, and sometimes we’re not even aware of it.

“Bias” isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though. It can simply mean having a preference for one thing over another—a leaning, an outlook, an inclination—that’s based on personal preference more than fact.

I enjoy reading almost anything, but I’m biased toward literary fiction.
I love all dogs; my preference for larger breeds is just a personal bias.
My nephew is the cutest kid in the world, but of course, I’m biased.

I’m sure you have biases like mine and many more. Everyone has them because we all have beliefs and preferences. And we’re influenced constantly by other biased beliefs.

Friends, parents, relatives, colleagues. News sources and journalism. Music, TV, radio, social media. Even the fiction we read for pleasure is biased by the writer’s beliefs.

Bias Is a Problem When it Hurts Others

When our opinions and preferences negatively affect other people, we use words like stereotype, prejudice, racism, sexism, and bigotry.

Let’s make something offensive out of my own personal biases.

• As a creative writing instructor, I might favor students who prefer the types of books I enjoy and give lower grades to fans of horror or sci-fi.
• As an animal shelter volunteer, bias might mean spending more time with larger dogs and neglecting small dogs.
• As a friend or neighbor, when parents say their kids are cute, I argue that my nephew is much cuter. (And I wouldn’t have many friends left!)

Everyone Has Biases

You might be biased about your favorite sports or teams. The type of diet or exercise you prefer. Your university, career or job, neighborhood, city, or native language. Body types in men or women. You might even be biased against introverts or extroverts, marriage or divorce, home owners or renters.

And then there’s racial, ethnic, and cultural bias. Religious bias. Sexual orientation bias. Age bias. And gender bias.

Gender Bias Affects Both Men and Women

When we talk about gender bias, we usually mean the belief that men are superior to women. But it can go both ways.

You’re not biased against women, are you? Are you biased against men? Most of us aren’t or don’t think we are, at least not consciously or with a specific agenda.

But the English language, which we learn from others, of course, has been around for a long time. And language reflects beliefs, whether we hold them consciously or not.

Let’s Look at Female Gender Bias

In the U.S., women weren’t allowed to vote until 1920, the same year that all states had passed laws individually that made wife beating illegal. But it wasn’t until 1994 that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed on a federal level. Women weren’t legally entitled to equal pay for equal work until 1963. Women weren’t protected by law for equal education until 1972. And it’s only in the last 50 years or so that women’s participation in the U.S. labor force has grown to well over 50%.

So consider this: If the person who leads meetings is always a man who sits in a special chair, the term “chairman” makes sense. If the person who delivers the mail is always a man, why not call him the mailman? That’s how things used to be.

And why not call all human beings mankind?

Well, that doesn’t sound quite as sensible. At certain times in history, man was gender-neutral and simply meant human being (sources disagree on the details). But as time went on, man came to mean males only unless specified otherwise. And in the last century or so, man has been (and still often is) used to refer to all humans. The same goes for the masculine pronoun “he” whether referring to a man or a woman (though it’s rare now compared to man or mankind).

Should Mankind for All Humans Make Sense?

Culturally, the last few decades have been different from any other time in history. So why shouldn’t the language change to represent the new reality?

Consider these sentences in a medical research paper:

• “Development of the Uterus in Rats, Guinea Pigs, and Men”
• “The Pap test, which has greatly reduced mortality from uterine cancer, is a boon to mankind”

These examples and more are often used in arguments about men and mankind as gender-neutral terms because they don’t work in all cases. So how can they be used to refer to all human beings when half are women?

But what’s a writer to do?

Know Your Biases

If you grew up in a family or neighborhood with clearly defined gender roles and expectations, you might use a lot of gender-biased language without realizing it.

That’s not a big deal overall; it’s your business. But you’ll have to take extra care unless you’re writing for The Art of Manliness or a publication (such as a religious website or magazine) with usage guidelines that expect gender-biased language.

Even if you’re accustomed to relaxed attitudes about gender roles and language, you’re not immune to the influences—and language—around you. Nobody is.

Get Familiar with Gender-biased Language and Options

The most common situations in which writers should use gender-neutral language involve job titles and pronouns.

Avoid terms that specifically refer to a female version of a role or job. They often end in -ess, -ette, -ienne or –trix.

Actress replace with actor
Comedienne replace with comedian
Executrix replace with executor
Hostess replace with host
Murderess replace with murderer
Sculptress replace with sculptor
Stewardess replace with flight attendant
Songstress replace with songwriter
Waitress replace with server
Usherette replace with usher

Avoid words ending in man or woman (or lady):

Chairman, chairwoman replace with chair, chairperson
Foreman replace with supervisor
Mailman replace with mail carrier
Policeman replace with police officer
Salesman replace with salesperson 
Cleaning lady replace with cleaning service or office cleaner

Some words, like coed, don’t belong to a category.

Coed sounds archaic—Merriam-Webster calls it “somewhat old-fashioned”—but I still see it used once in awhile. Up until the 1970s or so, the term was useful since accepting women at traditionally all-male colleges and universities was new. But now, women getting a higher education has normalized, so they aren’t referred to as “coeds” anymore.

“Coeducational” is used more often to refer to shared spaces, such as dorms, but “mixed sex,” “inclusive,” or “gender neutral” might be more appropriate.

See a more extensive list here: Gender Neutral Equivalent Words.

Most words in the list on this site are standard and recommended almost anywhere, but a few, like “yes-man,” are difficult to replace. “Avid follower” or “supporter” just doesn’t carry the same nuance. Try minion, puppet, suck-up, brown-noser, bootlicker, lackey, or sycophant.

Choose Pronouns Carefully

English doesn’t have a third-person singular, gender-neutral pronoun, although they is becoming a popular option. It only has he, she, or one (which is rarely used). Here are a few solutions for writing:

Use the second person singular “you” to address the reader directly.

As a writer, you should take your work seriously.

This works well, especially in blog posts. It isn’t possible, though, when referring to others who aren’t your reader, or if you’re required to use third person only.

Use he or she, him or her, and his or hers. Plural pronouns, “they,” “them,” and “their” are equally good options. 

A writer should take his or her work seriously.

Writers should take their work seriously.

His or her gets repetitive, so use it only when necessary. Avoid the slashed he/she or s/he format. It’s stylistically awkward, and though it was popular for a time, it’s not often used.

Alternate by using female and male references throughout your writing. You could use a female example in one paragraph, then a male, then a female, and so on.

A writer should take her writing seriously.
A writer needs to keep his writing skills sharp.
A writer needs to learn all she can.
A writer needs to get up from his desk and stretch regularly.

Use they, them, and their.

A writer needs to write regularly because, if they don’t, their skills will get rusty.

Consult a style manual if in doubt. I don’t have a problem with third person plural pronouns used as singular, especially if it’s someone’s preferred pronoun. But it can be confusing in writing and, grammar geek that I am, I can’t help but see a disagreement between the singular subject (writer) and plural pronouns (they/their). A plural subject works just as well.

Writers need to write regularly because, if they don’t, their skills will get rusty.

And keep up with changes. Here’s a more complete discussion of gender neutral language: Bias Free Language. This one is good, too: General Principles for Reducing Bias.

It’s Not About Being Politically Correct

It isn’t about pleasing the grammar gods, either. Being a liberal or woke. A feminist. Or anything else.

Your writing and language choices need to reflect reality and common practice just as much as they follow grammar and punctuation standards. If in doubt, check a style guide. Google the term. If you’re having trouble, others are too, and you’re sure to find information.

Do you have a tough time with gender-neutral or unbiased, sensitive language? Do you disagree with some recommendations? Comments are always welcome.