University of Antique

College of Arts and Sciences

Sibalom, Antique

Lesson 1- Chapter 1
Language shapes thoughts, perceptions, and
attitudes and plays a very crucial role in promoting
awareness and consciousness when communicating. Thus,
language is one of the many factors affecting
communication. It may hindrance the decoding and
encoding process. In this case, language sensitivity may
take part because all languages are unique having their own
characteristics. Language sensitivity in communication
means one is having the awareness of the uniqueness and
individuality of the language being used. It is also defined
as the use of respectful, supportive and caring words in
consideration of the context or setting and the recipient
(Aycock, 2017).

This topic includes discussions on gender fair language and political sensitive language. Under the topic
gender fair language; neutral expressions, plurality of nouns, and avoiding stereotyping will be given focus.
While political sensitive language includes taboos, avoiding racism and political awareness.

Generally, at the end of the lesson you should be able to:

1. Recognize the importance of language sensitivity; and
2. Determine communicative situations that require the use of sensitive language.

Lesson 1 – Gender Fair Language

I. INTRODUCTION

The government is promoting equality among men and women even in the use of the language. The
Republic Act 9710 known as “Magna Carta of Women” supports and reinforces the use of gender – sensitive
language at all times because recognizing the use of gender fair language is the first benchmark of gender
sensitivity. By observing the use of gender fair language, misunderstanding could be avoided in all settings of
communication. Courteousness and respect are eminent in all sorts of communication.

Specifically, this topic will be after the attainment of the following objectives:

1. Recognize gender fair language in different communication situations;

2. Identify neutral expressions;
3. Determine the plurality of gender fair nouns; and
4. Use gender fair language to avoid stereotyping.

II. MOTIVATION

Question: What can you say about these photos?

Photo 1. Photo 2.

III. LESSON PROPER

Gender fair

A. Neutral Expressions. These are expressions using languages that avoid bias toward a particular sex
or social gender. In English, this includes use of nouns that are not gender specific to refer to roles or
professions as well as avoidance of pronouns he, him and his to refer to people of unknown or
indeterminate gender.

Examples:

Traditional: feelings of brotherhood, feelings of fraternity

Suggestion: feelings of kinship, solidarity

Traditional: the founding fathers

Suggestion: the founders, the founding leaders

Traditional: the Father of Relativity Theory

Suggestion: the Founder of Relativity Theory

Traditional: Don’t let Mother Nature rip you!

Suggestion: Don’t let nature rip you!
B. Plurality of Nouns. Mostly nouns follow different rules regarding pluralization depending on what letter
a noun ends. Most singular nouns are made plural by simply putting an –s at the end. Irregular nouns
do not follow plural noun rules, so they must be memorized or looked up in the dictionary. But for gender
fair language it does not mean the same way.

1. Role References
Singular ( Biased) Plural ( Bias Free)
alumni graduates
chairman, chairwoman chair, chairpersons
committee man, committee woman committee members
corporate wife corporate spouses
faculty wife faculty spouses
freshman first- year students
hostess hosts
housewife, househusband homemakers
middle man go- between
spokesman spokespersons, representatives

2. Group References
Singular (Biased) Plural ( Bias Free)
brother hood kinship, community
common man common persons, average persons
countryman compatriots
fatherland native land
fellowship camaraderie
forefathers ancestors, forebears
fraternal warm, intimate
man, mankind humankinds, humanity, humans
mother tongue native language

3. Occupational References
Singular (Bias ) Plural ( Bias Free)
businessman, businesswoman business executives, entrepreneurs
career woman professional, managers, executives
cleaning lady cleaners
girl Friday clerks, office assistants, receptionists
insurance man insurance agents
landlady, landlord proprietors, building managers
mailman mail carriers, letter carriers
newsman journalists, reporters
policeman/policewoman police officers
serviceman service representatives
steward, stewardess flight attendants/cabin crew
waitress waiters, servers
delivery boy couriers, messengers
C. Avoiding Stereotyping. Stereotype is defined as fixed, over generalized belief about a particular group
or class of people (Cardwell, 1996). While stereotyped language is any that assumes a stereotype
about a group of people. When avoiding stereotyped, do not provide information about people’s gender.
Personal Title
Derogatory ( bias ) Better language ( biased free)
Bossy or pushy Assertive
Loose sexually confident
Emotional or hormonal Passionate, enthusiastic
Ditzy Silly
Frigid Lacking sexual responsiveness
Frumpy Dowdy and old fashioned
Irresponsible Level- headed
Hysterical Irrational
arrogant dependable
whore A lover of either sex
Devil Mischievous

Work Title
Derogatory ( bias ) Better language ( biased free)
Change catalyst Business executive
Erection Engineer Manufacturing Plant position
Hooker Cable yarding systems
Knob head Transportation position
Cased Hole Log Analysis Specialist Oil/ Energy position
Dreams fulfiller Financial services
Hostess Female host
Creatologist Professional coaching service
GRO Guest Relation Officer

Gender is a social and cultural construct; and it refers to a societal role, not one’s assigned sex. If
possible, avoid the use of combination forms he/she and the use of pronouns he/him/his. Instead, use plural
nouns or pronouns (they, them, or their), or see the chart below for newer pronouns being adopted.
 TERMS MEANING
Agender Those whose gender identity does not align with any gender.
– The term for an individual who is not necessarily a member of particular
Ally group (e.g., LGBTQ+), but supports that group’s human rights and
promotes equality and inclusion in various ways.

Androgynous – one who has both masculine and feminine characteristics

Asexual – An adjective describing the individual with no desire or interest in being

sexually active.
Biphobia – The fear or hatred of bisexual individuals.

Bigender – A term associated with someone identifying as both man and woman.

Bisexual – An individual attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity.

Closeted – Someone who is not disclosing their true sexual orientation or gender
identity.
– The process through which a person acknowledges and accepts their
Coming Out
sexual orientation or gender identity and shares this with others.
– A person wearing clothing stereotypically worn by the other sex, but has
Cross-dresser
no intention to live full-time as the other sex.
Drag King – Female performers who dress as men for entertainment at clubs and
events.
Drag Queen – Male performers who dress as women for entertainment at clubs and
events.
FTM – A person transitioning from female to male.
Gay – An individual who is emotionally, sexually and/or romantically attracted
to members of the same gender.
– One’s identity as man, woman or neither man nor woman. Gender is
Gender socially and culturally constructed roles, behaviors and attributes
considered appropriate for males and females in a given society and is
often based on one’s assigned sex at birth.
– Prolonged state of distress caused by one being uncomfortable
Gender identifying with the gender related to their assigned sex at birth.
dysphoria For instance, one can be born male, but is not comfortable identifying as
a man.
Gender – The way a person exhibits their gender identity through behavior,
expression clothing, and hairstyle.
Gender fluid - A term depicting a person who does not identify with a single gender.
Gender – One’s concept of self as woman, man, blend of both, as two-spirit, or
identity neither. One’s gender identity may not be the same as one’s assigned sex.
Gender non- – A term for individuals whose gender identity does not fit into the
conforming societal expectations related to their assigned sex at birth.
Gender queer – Individuals who identify as neither entirely male nor entirely female.
Gender – The process a person goes through to live as the gender with which
transition they identify, which is different from their assigned sex at birth.
– The perception that heterosexuality is superior to other sexual
Heterosexism
orientations.
Homophobia – The fear or hatred of people attracted to members of the same sex.
– An adjective ascribed to individuals sexually attracted to individuals of
Homosexual the same sex. This term is now seen as outdated and offensive. Gay
man/person/lesbian are preferred.
 – “A term used for people born with reproductive or sexual anatomy
Intersex and/or chromosome pattern that does not seem to fit typical definitions of
male or female.” (Transgender Terminology Document)
– A woman who is physically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to
Lesbian
another woman or female-gendered person.
MTF – A person transitioning from male to female.
– Exposing someone’s gender identity or sexual orientation without that
Outing
individual’s permission.
– Although historically used as a negative term, queer is more commonly
Queer being used by the ‘Rainbow Community’ as an inclusive term to refer to
lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and transgender people.
– The multicolored rainbow flag was adopted in 1978 in San Francisco by
the LGBTQ+ communities as a symbol of pride, solidarity, and the
Rainbow diversity of the gay community. The colors symbolize life (red), healing
Community (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony/peace (blue), and
spirit (purple violet).
– Classification of a person as male, female or intersex based on their
Sex reproductive organs and functions. Biological and physiological
characteristics that define humans as female or male.
Sexual – A term describing a person’s attraction to members of other or same
Orientation sex.
Sex – Medical procedure altering one’s physical appearance to further reflect
reassignment one’s gender identity.
surgery
To be out – To be open about your sexual orientation and/or your gender identity.
- An overarching term for individuals whose gender identity or expression
Transgender differs from societal expectations of the sex they were assigned at birth.
“Trans” is a shorthand for “transgender”.
Transgender – The term for a transgender individual who identifies as a man (or whose
man gender identity is of a man) and was assigned female at birth.
Transgender – The term for a transgender individual who identifies as a woman (or
woman whose gender identity is of a woman) and was assigned male at birth.
Transphobia – The fear or hatred of transgender individuals.
– The term for a person whose gender identity is different from the
assigned sex at birth, and who may alter his/her/their body through
clothing, cosmetics, and hormones and in some cases surgery to be
Transsexual
more in line with their gender identity.
denoting or relating to a transgender person, especially one who
has undergone gender reassignment.
– The term used in some First Nations communities to describe person
Two-Spirit
whose individual spirit is a combination of both male and female spirits.

(Information from University of Calgary, 2017)