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Avoid Sexist Usage
Avoid Sexist Usage
Avoid sexist usage. Any writing habit which creates a barrier between you and half your readers must reduce the impact of your message. Inclusive writing usually makes more sense and is more accurate.
(1) Using sex-neutral terms – Using sex-neutral terms means avoiding words which suggest that maleness is the norm or superior or positive and that femaleness is non-standard, subordinate, or negative.
Example:
| Sex specific words | Sex-neutral words |
| authoress | author |
| clergymen | clergy, clerics |
| man, mankind | the human species, human beings, people, humans |
| man-hours | working hours, work-hours |
| workman | worker |
(2) Using titles or ‘he’ and ‘she’ – It is better to avoid ‘he’, ‘his’, or ‘him’ when you intend to include both men and women.
Compare:
- Solvent abuse is not a crime but if a police officer finds a young person under 17 sniffing solvents, he should take him to a secure place such as the police station, home, or hospital.
- Solvent abuse is not a crime but if a police officer finds a young person under 17 sniffing solvents, the officer should take the person to a secure place such as the police station, home, or hospital.
Related Links:
• Keep Sentences Short.
• Use words your readers are likely to understand.
• Use only as many words as you really need.
• Prefer the active voice.
• Use the clearest, liveliest verb to express your thoughts.
• Use Vertical Lists to make complex materil understandable.
• Keep Electronic Text Communication simple.
• Put your points positively when you can.
• Reduce cross-references to the minimum.
• Try to avoid sexist usage.
• Avoidable English Errors are so many.
• Avoid fusty first sentences and formula finishes.
• Put accurate punctuation at the heart of your writing.
• Avoid being enslaved by seven writing myths.
• Plan Before You Write.
• Organize your material in a simple way.
• Consider different ways of setting out your information.
• Devote special effort to producing lucid instructions.
• Use clear layout to present your plain words.