The one constant of language is that it is always changing. At one time, the custom was to use masculine pronouns to refer to words whose gender was not clear. Sentences like The professor’s office hours are posted on his door were commonplace. As culture changed, the obvious sexism of using solely masculine pronouns fell out of favor and “he or she” constructs became the norm. Using gender-neural language was both non-sexist and inclusive and a big step forward from using solely masculine pronouns, but it didn’t come without its problems as too many instances of “he or she” / “his or her” was not only awkward, but it also became distracting to readers and called attention to itself rather than to the ideas.
A sentence like “Everybody tries to do his or her best, but success is determined by how much motivation he or she has and the sacrifices he or she is willing to make in order to reach his or her goal” is an extreme example, but it illustrates the point.
The way many writers avoided the awkwardness of “he or she” was to use a plural pronoun like “they” to refer to the singular antecedent, as this sentence illustrates:
Just because someone has incorrect grammar in writing doesn’t mean they have low intelligence.
The only problem with the above sentence is that until very recently the use of “they” to refer to a singular antecedent was considered grammatically incorrect.
THE SINGULAR THEY
Over the past five to seven years, the singular they has gained popularity and is now recognized by most style guides like APA and MLA, major newspapers and magazines, as well as dictionaries, professional organizations, and institutions of higher learning. The National Education Association advocates that “It’s grammatically correct to use singular “they” to refer a person of unknown gender or to a nonbinary person who does not feel gendered pronouns work for them” (Alvarez, 2022, They/Them Pronouns section, para. 1).
“They” as a singular nonbinary word makes perfect sense for a couple of reasons. First, it’s an effort at gender-neutral language in the sense that using “they” in the singular could be both masculine and feminine. Second, just as the use of “he or she” constructs was an effort at language inclusivity, so, too, is the nonbinary singular “they” as more and more people do not identify with the pronoun “he” or “she.” Bias-free language is needed to be inclusive of all people regardless of what language purists or traditionalists or stuck-in-the past grammarians advocate is the correct way to use language.
Inclusive Language Is Bias Free
Bias-free language is needed in order to be inclusive of all people, and it may require some effort on the part of writers to rid their work of biased language so as not to offend or demean others however unintentional it may be. Some of the language bias concerns usage situations that have been standard for a long time, and in this regard, writers need to break those old habits. Unintentional or not, using terms such as policeman, mailman, and mankind exclude women who surely serve and protect communities, deliver mail, and walk this planet. There’s no doubt that progress has been made using bias-free language with these examples as police officers, mail carriers, and humankind are not new terms, but what about language bias that does not concern gender?
APA Style (2022-a) makes understanding appropriate usage clear by stating on its official website: “Writers . . . must strive to use language that is free of bias and avoid perpetuating prejudicial beliefs or demeaning attitudes. Just as you have learned to check what you write for spelling, grammar, and wordiness, practice reading your work for bias” (para. 1).
One classic example is the word “handicapped.” Writing “handicapped” or “handicapped person” is biased because it makes a statement about the whole person, not the condition. APA Style (2022-b) recommends person-first language in which “the person is emphasized, not the individual’s disability or chronic condition” (para. 4).
With this in mind, phrasing such as “person living with a disability” would be the preferred language. If you are having doubts about the bias–and certainly to some, the offensiveness–of terms like “handicapped” or “disabled,” consider that it wasn’t until the 1970s that the term “crippled” stopped being used. While “handicapped” may be a shade better than “crippled,” it still expresses a bias.
It’s worth noting, however, that while the example above from APA follows the person-first language pattern, some individuals prefer a different approach. For example, many Deaf people consider deafness a key part of their identity and prefer “Deaf people.” They would not want to be referred to as “a person with deafness,” but ultimately it is up to the individual.
Intention
Some complain about excessive political correctness, but that seems more of an excuse to continue practices that are simply not sensitive to the needs of others. In APA Style (2022-c) the aim is not to create controversy but, rather, to guide writers to use language that is “accurate, clear, and free from bias or prejudicial connotations” (para. 2).
Avoiding the use of imprecise and overarching terms and using instead the terms the people being discussed use themselves is a positive step toward inclusivity and bias-free language use.
Requirements: 300
