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Ashley De La Torre
Van Bebber
Writing 001
10 October 2014
Everyone Uses Sexist Language
Within today’s society, there are many definitions to what sexist language is.
Some like to think that sexism is a cruel form of language that puts people down from
the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) community while others believe
it is when men or women are bullied by being called names that refer to the opposite
sex. This includes women who are teased for being too masculine as well as men who
are being too feminine. The actual complexity of sexist language reaches far beyond
such simple idealistic thoughts. Sexist language is how the entire human race is
referred to as mankind or how a group of girls can be referred to as guys.
In Sherryl Kleinman’s article titled: “Why Sexist Language Matters,” she argues
the importance of why sexist language in today’s society must be eliminated. She
explains herself through her argument in a way that many have not opened themselves
up to. She explains how the words: man, he, or guys are used to refer to groups or
some as prefixes and suffixes in words that represent men and women which to her is
sexist language. Society as a whole has become extremely passive with these male
dominant terms so much so, that many of us do not realize what we are saying to them
throughout daily conversation. Kleinman writes how short phrases such as: “Oh, man,
where did I leave my keys” and “you guys” are constantly used within men and women
when it is seen by her as unnecessary. Kleinman states that she is aware that she
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sounds “defensive” within her writing but that it is only because she hears this sexist
language all day long, every day. It is easy to hear sexist language in public as long as
one is open to the idea that it does not just come from bullying. Kleinman is worried that
there will not ever be a point of equality within this subject because she understands
that one cannot change these daily words into female dominant, she has to find people
to work with or a larger group of people to notice why it should be changed to a point
where it’s neither male dominant, nor female dominant, but equal.
Another form of sexist language is how the word: “queer”’s definition has
changed in so many people’s vocabulary from having meant weird or unusual to being
an antigay insult. Martha Irvine from The Associated Press discusses how this is an
issue within her article titled: “The Evolution of ‘Queer’” This form is far more offensive
to the gay and lesbian communities because it’s direct verbal bullying unlike being
called a freshman or a chairman which is passive and less direct. This evolution on the
word “queer” occurred when the word became a synonym “with “pansy,” “sissy” and
even “pervert,” says Irvine about Gregory Ward, a Northwestern University linguist who
teaches a course on language and sexuality. Irvine concludes that the word “queer” will
long be miss-used just as the word “gay” was until it finally reached its proper use with
the word “homosexual.” Irvine states that: “young people don’t seem too worried if the
rest of America is slow to embrace the word” meaning that just like the word “gay”, the
new use for the word “queer” will also become embraced.
A last form of sexist language is how the language is used within politics. Within
the article titled: “Sexist Language and Person Perception,” Signe A. Dayhoff from the
Psychology Department at Boston University tells us how she evaluates sexist language
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within candidacy. Dayhoff’s form of sexist language involves how “sexism causes
women to be negatively evaluated when seeking a “masculine” or neutral” office.”
Dayhoff writes about how men and women always compete for similar, or the same
offices, yet woman as a group are traditionally always “devalued by both females and
males holding traditional gender role beliefs.” She tells how “observational
sociolinguistic research and writing has inquired how language treats women and men
differently (Lakoff, 1975).” She further explains how such language modifies and limits
women who are running for important offices through patterns that effect a sex-coded
communication of female inferiority and subordination, and of male superiority and
domination” (Dayhoff, 1983.) Dayhoff is aware that the female candidate will always
almost immediately be devalued when running for an office that has been occupied by
men for so long. She also knows that the effects of sexist language seem to be weaker
for the male candidate making the change from sexist language to equality between
men and women far more difficult.
Even celebrities have been reached out to by so many people in attempts to get
them to spread the word about the true meanings of derived words. It is usually only in
this way that larger groups of people in even the farthest corners of the world get to
recognize what is right from wrong. It is very common for people in their youth to have
some form of idol that is a celebrity or world famous for being a world class expert for or
at something. Therefore, youths who truly believe in equality or in other gender related
issues will begin to find ways to approach well known people with power to get them to
also believe in their beliefs. Now we even see celebrities themselves becoming even
more well known for taking part in acts towards equality and peace between genders.
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Such well known people include stars such as, Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Emma
Watson, Demi Lovato and Cara Delevigne. It has even become a trend amongst famous
people to take action in such beliefs making the beliefs increasingly popular. The fact
that this has all come into play seems to give society as a whole hope towards the
existence of a day where sexist language or offensive slang no longer exists.
Although society has a long way to go, people like Sherryl Kleinman, Signe A.
Dayhoff, Martha Irvine, and the celebrities listed above are just some of the many who
are legitimately attempting to create a positive living environment. Gladly these
dilemmas are all coming into a close and hopefully continue to do so. The derivation of
words into slang or offensive slurs will always exist however, it is appreciated that so
many people already have joined the movement, but it is definitely interesting to be
living in a world where all of these changes are happening day by day. Pop culture
especially seems to have given this change the greatest push of all. It is mainly through
pop culture that youths are reached out to by. This includes popular music, movies and
even social media accounts.
Overall, the true definition of sexist language is still far from well known by most
of todays beings however, derivation of words will always seem to be the conflict. Soon
more people’s mindset on the term will be corrected from their original idealistic thought.
Sexist language is how the entire human race is referred to as ‘mankind’ or how a group
of only girls can be referred to as ‘guys’. It also is how society derives words from their
true meanings giving off offensive public verbal interactions. The last form of sexist
language is how it is used in politics. Although men and women will compete for the
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same offices, the female candidate will always almost immediately be devalued when
running for an office that has been occupied by men for so long.
Society grows comfort on repetition and this is why we so often find few people
who are willing to change the way sexist language is used daily in hopes of a daily
language where no term refers to a man, nor a woman, but is equal between the two.
Nor will homosexuals have to fear going out in public without being hazed or bullied.
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Works Cited
Kleinman, Sherryl. "Why Sexist Language Matters." Alternet. Center Line, a Newsletter
of the Orange County Rape Crisis Center, 11 Mar. 2007. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
Irvine, Martha. "The Evolution of 'Queer'" TheLedger.com. The Associated Press, 07
Nov. 2003. Web. 13 Dec. 2014.
Dayhoff, Signe A. "Sexist Language and Person Perception: Evaluation of Candidates
from N." Ewspaper Articles. N.p., 01 Apr. 1983. Web. 13 Dec. 2014.