Lesson 5: Gender-Fair

Language

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Learning Objectives

Determine the ways on Construct other forms Debate on current issues

how language of discrimination in concerning gender-fair
discriminates against language. language.
women.

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What is Language?

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 “
Language is a
primary symbol for
communication, and
for how humans
understand and
participate in the
world.

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Language defines men and women
differently as seen in common
adjectives (his, him, she, her, etc.)
associated with these genders.

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Prepared by: Ms. Czarina Mae C. Legaspi
Violations of Gender-fair Language

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 Sexist Language

a tool that reinforces unequal gender relations

through sex-role stereotypes, microaggressions, and
sexual harassment.
Example:
“women cannot be engineers,”
“men cannot take care of children.”
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 Invisibilization of Women

It is rooted in the assumption that men are dominant

and the norm of fullness of humanity, and women do
not exist.

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 Invisibilization of Women
The generic use of The assumption that certain
masculine pronouns or functions or jobs are
the use of a masculine performed by men instead of
general. both genders.
Example: “mankind” Example: “The farmers and
assumes that men are their wives tilled the land.” This
representatives of all assumes that men can have jobs
people of the planet. as farmers, and women who do
the same jobs are still called as
wives.
The use of male job titles
or terms ending in ‘man’
to refer to functions
that may be given to
both genders. Example:
“chairman,” “congressman”
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Trivialization of Women
Bringing attention to The perception that The objectification, or
the gender of a women are immature. likening to objects, of
person, if and only if Example: “baby,” “darling” women.
that person is a Example: “honey,” “sugar,”
woman. “tart”
Example: “lady guard,”
“working wives”

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Violations of Gender-fair Language
Fostering unequal
gender relations
Example: The use of “man
and wife” assumes that
men are still men and
women’s identities
subsumed and shifted into
beings in relation to their
husbands
Gender polarization of Hidden Assumptions
words in use if adjectives Example: The statement “the
Example: Both men and women father is babysitting his
did the same activity but were children” assumes that the
described differently. father is not a caregiver, and
that any attempt he has at
parenting is temporary as the
mother is the main caregiver
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Identities and Naming Things

Naming things give them power.

Example: sexual harassment was never seen as an issue until it was given
a name. The same thing goes with “date rape,” prior to naming as such, it
is just referred to as “rape.”

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 Towards a Gender-fair Language
GABRIELA ( General Assembly Binding Women for Reforms,
Integrity, Equality, Leadership, and Action) Women’s Party national
president and party-list representative Liza Maza called for a ban
of sexist language in all official communication and documents in
the House of Representatives. The creation of a comprehensive
gender-fair language policy and the evaluation of the effectiveness
of gender-fair language in institutions are indicators for a gender-
fair institution. These actions are small steps one can take in
ensuring that institutions are indeed gender-fair

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Thanks!