Question

Avoiding Sexist Language

Revise the following sentences to avoid sexist language.

1. All the software development specialists and their wives attended the conference.

2. The foremen met to discuss techniques for handling union grievances.

3. Every technician must keep accurate records for his monthly activity reports.

4. The president of the corporation, a woman, met with her sales staff.

5. Throughout the history of mankind, each scientist has tried to make his mark with a discovery of significant intellectual worth.

Answer 1

1. All the software development specialists and their spouses attended the conference.

(Spouse replaces wives as it is a gender-neutral term in the sentence)

2. The supervisors met to discuss techniques for handling union grievances.

(Foremen is replaced by 'supervisors' as it is the synonym for someone who overlooks and directs the activities of other workers)

3. Every technician must keep accurate records for their monthly activity reports.

('their' replaces the word 'he' to mean he/she, in the sentence)

4. The President of the Corporation met with the sales staff.

(Eliminating words like 'woman' and 'her' make the sentence gender neutral without changing the meaning of the sentence)

5, Throughout the history of the human race, each scientist has tried to make a mark with a discovery of significant intellectual worth.

(the words like 'mankind' and 'his' are removed and replaced by the 'human race' and generalizing the accomplishments of every scientist)