Subject: Acceptable language according to Feminizts

From: [email-masked] (David Loveridge)
Date: 6 Feb 1995 06:20:04 GMT

The following is a listing of words and phrases that must be eliminated 
from the English language according the an Ontario government document.
The Ontario Women's Directorate spent hundreds of thousands of dollars 
in consultations with feminist groups, in writing and publishing this 
document.  You better know it; it's from the government!

          WORDS THAT COUNT WOMEN IN

          ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIECTORATE
          1st Edition

Ontario Women's Directorate 
12th Floor
2 Carlton Street,
Toronto, Ontario  M5B 2M9

Telephone:  (416) 314-0292
Fax      :  (416) 314-0254

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER
An introduction to the "why" of inclusive language

     "O Canada, our home and native land
      True patriot love in all thy sons command . . ."

Picture two children singing these lyrics -- a girl and a boy.  Think
of the images formed in their minds.  The boy sees countless males like
himself, all standing on guard for their country.  He feels fully part
of the patriotic fervor, a true son of Canada.

The girl is not so lucky.  Since our national anthem says nothing about
daughters, she can't help wondering whether it applies to her.  Can
only men be patriots?

"O Canada," the symbol of our democratic spirit, excludes more than
half the population.  The single word "sons" tells women they do not
belong.  You cound argue that other words express the anthem's point --
words like "glowing hearts" or "true north strong and free."  You could
even argue that "sons" is just a synonym for "people"-- and Webster's
Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, published by Merriam-Webster Inc., 1991
would back you up.  One meaning it cites is "a person closely associated
with or deriving from a formative agent (as a nation, school or race)."

But words create images more powerful than any definition.  If you
don't choose your words with care, they may send a message you never
intended: in this case, that it's a man's world.  This song helps
perpetuate inequality for all women.

Words most of us use daily do exactly that.  "Weatherman" suggests that
all weather reporters are male.  "Frenchman" implies that the French are
all male.  "Mankind" portrays maleness as the norm for our species and 
that women are not included.  You'd think every species was male, the
way the lion at the zoo, the dinosaur in the museum and the friendly
mutt in the local park are all referred to as "he".

IT'S A MATTER OF CLARITY

Reasons for, arguments against, inclusive language

All speakers and writers share the same goal: clear communication.  
Male-biased words don't meet the challenge.  They hark back to a world
that no longer exists, a world with no place for women's aspirations.
They cause needless doubts and needless offense.  Unless you learn to 
spot them and change them, they'll distract attention from your point.

It's easier than it sounds.  Take "O Canada."  If "all thy sons" were
changed to "all our hearts," the lyrics would still trip off the tongue
-- but they would speak to everyone, not just boys.

That's the guiding principle of bias-free language: it includes the whole
audience.  It's not just the fair way to communicate.  Now that women
make space flights and hold cabinet posts, it's the only way that works
for everyone.

This common sense idea has met fierce resistance, and no wonder.  Today's
inclusive language breaks rules we've all followed since grade school.
It also touches the insecurities of all men.  But the case against change
doesn't hold up to scrutiny.  Take a close look at the following arguments:

     "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?"

Study after study shows that biased language is fuzzy language.  When they
read the words "man" or "he," people of all ages tend to picture males.

Biased language distorts perceptions.  In a classic 1974 study, junior
high school students were asked to draw the activities of prehistoric 
people.  One group received instructions about "early man."  The other
followed gender-neutral instruction.  Both groups drew more males than
females.  But when instructions referred to "people" and "humans," the
number of female figures increased.

Biased language can dampen young women's aspirations.  A 1983 study
found women less likely to consider a career in psychology when the
career description used the male pronoun.  As if all this weren't reason
enough to watch our language, getting rid of bias clearly motivates
women.  In a 1984 study, female students recalled information better when
the researchers used sex-neutral terms.

     "YOU CAN'T REWRITE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE."

No one is rewriting the language.  Rather, the language is evolving to 
keep pace with the times, as it has done since the days of the troubadours.
The Simpsons don't speak like the Capulets and the Montagues.  And just
look at the new words that have flooded dictionaries since the '60s:
preppy, tofu, quark, hacker, sunblocker, flextime . . . the list goes
on.  These words exist because they meet a need.

Similarly, other words have gone the way of spats and corsets.  You
hardly ever hear the term "authoress" these days, and "doctoress"
is all but forgotten.  Yet as recently as the '20s, famed lexicographer
H.W. Fowler defended "singeress" and "teacheress."  Fowler worried that
without specialized terms to distinguish them, upstart professional 
women might be confuse with the real experts -- their male counterparts.
This use of language to keep women from equality has existed since the
times of the paternalistic Catholic Church of medieval times.

     "THOSE NEW WORDS ARE RIDICULOUS."

Sceptics heap scorn on "chair," a frontrunner to replace the biased
"chairman."  A chair, they insist, is a piece of furniture, not a person.
In fact, the Oxford English Dictionary dates 1659 as the first use of 
"chair" in its contested sense.  "Chairman" entered the language just
four years earlier.

Granted, "manhole cover" may sound more natural to many of us than the
non-biased alternative, "sewer cover."  But that's just because the term
is new.  To our children's generation, "manhole cover" will likely seem
downright quaint.  It is our duty to ensure that children learn this
inclusive language and see that when it is not used we will take legal
action to stop this subversive form of sexual harassment.

Wags have dreamed up some undeniably ridiculous words in an effort to
lampoon inclusive language.  By replacing "man" with "person" wherever
it appears, they've devised such clunkers as "personipulate" and 
"Personitoba."  In fact, "manipulate" and "manacle" are here to stay
because their root is not "man" but the Latin for hand, manus.

     "WHAT YOU CALL BIASED, I CALL COLORFUL."

No question, some sterotypes exude color.  Take "trollop," "shrew" and 
"biddy."  These words appeal for the images they spark -- images that put
women down.  Sometimes, as with "oaf" and "gigolo," it's men who are 
belittled in the name of lively writing.  Either way, the result is the 
same -- negative stereotyping.

There's another way to make your prose leap off the page.  Why not
describe the action rather than the person?  Nouns label people; verbs
pack as much pictorial clout as nouns, with less potential for put-downs.
"Tussle," "plod," "lurch," "slither" . . . verbs like these can set 
scenes for your reader.  Countless others are as close as your thesaurus.

STICKY WICKETS, AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Some advice on the "rules" of inclusive language

Changing lifelong habits calls for patience at first, but don't be 
suprized if your writing improves.  Many biased expressions are cliches.
Without them, you'll stretch your creativity.  You must be always
vigilant to remove these biased expressions from everbodies' language.

Not that you need to be a literary whiz.  Once you figure out where the
danger zones are, dodging them will become second nature.  A few simple
ground rules will get you started.

    The Pronoun Puzzle

Until recently, most people didn't see anything wrong with using the
geneeric "he" ("everyone should bring his lunch") to refer to both
men and women.  Women's growing disagreement has inspired some pretty
cumbesome proposals for a third person singular pronoun of indeterminate
sex.  "S/he" makes most readers wince; "tey" never caught on at all.
"He or she" will do in a pinch, but grates with constant repetition.

What's a frustrated writer to do?  Try on of three tricks:

- Make the sentence plural.
   In the following sentence, all you'll lose is one word -- and that's a
   gain for your reader.  The leaner your prose, the sharper your point.
   For example change:

      "Becoming a doctor can be a lonely experience, one that takes a
       toll not only on the young doctor, but also on his patients."

       to

      "Becoming a doctor can be a lonely experience, one that takes a
       toll not only on young doctors but also on patients."

- Change "his" to "the."
   It's a simple way to fix this verbal gaffe:
 
      "The member will promptly disclose to his [the] client any
       interest in a business which may affect the client."

   Better yet, ask yourself if you can shorten the sentence.  In the 
   above example, it's understood that the member is disclosing to the
   client.  Why not amend the sentence to read:

      "The member will promptly disclose any interest in a business
       which may affect the client."

- Use "they" as a singular pronoun.
  We know, we know -- "Everyone for themselves" would make your English
  teacher cringe.  You're wise to avoid it in a speech to teachers or 
  your company's annual report, but when you want an informal, colloquial
  style, the singular "they" could be your best bet.

This usage was considered correct until the mid-nineteenth century.  As
the closest thing we have to an indeterminate singular pronoun, "they"
could be poised for a comeback.  If it was good enough for Jane Austen
and William Shakespeare, it should be good enough for the Rotary Club.

- Alternate between "she" and "he."
  Whether you're referring to university students, employees or kids at
  summer camp, this tactic beats constant repetition of "he or she."
  Just watch out for sex-typed examples.  The employee dashing to the 
  daycare centre is not necessarily "she."  The youngster in tears over
  a classmate's teasing might be "he."

- In a pinch . . .
  Change "he" to "one" or "the individual," or use the passive voice.
  But both techniques, while often recommended, tend to make for stilted
  writing.  Once you get the hand of the others, you shouldn't need them.

     ONE SEX FITS ALL?

     "Some entomologists consider insects to be man's chief competitor,
      mainly because insects and man both utilize the same things."
                     - "Entomology in Canada: Career Opportunities"

Synonyms for "man" abound (see "Words to the Wise"), so this verbal
gaffe is easily fixed.  Consider just one possible revision:

     "Some entomologists consider insects to be humans' chief
      competitor, mainly because insects utilize the same things we do."

You may wonder why "humans" should be preferable to "man."  Similar as the
two words appear, they come from different roots -- "humans" from the
Latin "homo" and "man" from the Old English "mann."  Both roots
originally meant "human being," but "man" developed its gender-specific
connotation as long ago as the 10th century.

"Man" also turns up as a verb.  Here's an example from the front page of
The Globe and Mail:

      "We have . . . found . . . a declining confidence in our system of
       parliamentary democracy, and in the politicians who man the system."
                                 -- pollster Michael Adams

Is it just male politicians who have fallen out of favor?  If not, then
why not change "man" to "run"?

      TYPE-CASTING

No matter what a woman achieves outside the home, her domestic talents
attract constant scrutiny.  When astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar made her
1992 space flight, The Toronto Star ran this front-page headline:

      "Canadian in space does 'housework'"
      "Bondar spends hour tidying up shuttle"

A highly skilled physician and scientist, Dr. Bondar was spending no more
time on "housework" than her male colleagues on the shuttle.  Her efforts
really focused on scientific experiments -- and had she been male, the
male headline writer undoubtedly have said so.

The Star had trivialized a Canadian hero, and readers were outraged.
Within a day, more than 150 calls had bombarded the paper.  Not for
years had it faced such fury.

We don't hear much about Eric Lindros' cooking, or how much time Brian
Mulroney spends with his kids.  But let a woman step into the spotlight,
and reporters suddenly wonder about her cooking schedule and her 
childcare arrangements.  They exclaim over her skill at balancing work
and family, as if to say, "Don't worry, guys, she's still a normal woman
at heart."  When her children grow up, she's still not home free.  People
magazine recently described a female biographer as "a spunky mother of
four and grandmother of six."

If you've ever introduced a female speaker, you may have made the same
blunder.  We suggest this guideline: don't mention a woman's domestic
life unless you would make the same comment of a man in her position.

One more word of advice: don't assume that only women run homes.  That's
the message implied in this sentence from a Globe and Mail article on
marketing:

      "The dinner plates that the German hausfrau and the English
       housewife deemed acceptable, caused French women to laugh in
       disbelief."

Who says that only women were laughing?  A woman would never have 
exhibited such sexism.  A few simple changes make the sentence more
accurate -- and concise:

      "The dinner plates that the Germans and the English deemed
       acceptable caused the French to laugh in disbelief.:

      THE BEAUTY FACTOR

      "She's so fresh-faced, so blue-eyed, so ruby-lipped, so 
       12-car-pile-up gorgeous, 5'5" and 114 pounds of peacekeeping
       missile."

                     -- Sports Illustrated on figure skater Katerina Witt

Women's looks, like their homemaking, garner needless attention.  A 
poet is praised for her "charm," and athlete for "moving like a model."
Even the dignified London Sunday Times referred to the "overt, flaunting
sexuality" of Canada's Kim Campbell, just because of one semi-nude
portrait of her.  Is this how we generally talk about male politicians?

A Canadian magazine once published an article by a woman on the Toronto
Blue Jays -- more specifically, on watching their bottoms under those
tight uniforms.  She speculated at length on which Blue Jay cut the 
cutest figure while at bat.  In short, she wrote about men the way men
always write about women.  Angry letters accused the magazine of 
trivializing baseball.

Two themes stand out in irrelevant descriptions of women.  One is
sexuality, the other fragility.  Here's an example of woman-as-rosebud
prose:

      "She is a young, elegant woman with the pert appeal of a gamine.
       But her fragile good looks contradict the power she wields in
       the fiercely competitive fashion world."
                              
                  -- Flare on Fairweather president Lynn Posluns

"Pert" and "gamine," words only applied to women, shrink the executive's
stature.  "See how tiny she is," the passage seems to say.  "She's not
one of those power-hungry women.  She wouldn't hurt a fly."  Equally
belittling -- to all women, not just Posluns -- is the presumed
opposition between power and good looks.  Why shouldn't female presidents
look good?  Does power turn women into drab, grim-faced martinets?
In describing a man, one would describe their competence, never their
appearance.

As with childcare arrangements, so with looks: if you wouldn't comment
on a man's, then don't comment on a woman's.

      BACKHANDED COMPLIMENTS

At a high school commencement ceremony, a teacher hands a male graduate
his award.  "This fine young man is an inspiration to his classmates,"
she declares.  Then the teacher honors his female classmate.  She is 
called "a spunky little lady, a joy to us all."

Which prizewinner sounds more impressive?  The male graduate -- no
contest.  "Inspiration" connotes action and leadership, while "joy to
us all" connotes the supposedly feminine virtues of kindness and good
humor.

As for "little lady," you don't hear males described as "little men."
Next time you write a job reference for a woman, watch the words you 
choose.  Are they the ones you's select for a man with the same skills?
Or are they words used only of women -- like "irrepressible" instead of
"dauntless," "perky" instead of "energetic," "spunky" instead of
"determined"?

Perhaps the most backhanded compliment of all is comparing a woman to
men -- as in "She thinks like a man."  Intellectual rigor is not a male
trait -- and neither is guts.

      THE PARALLELISM PRINCIPLE

      "Lyn Goes After Rae"
                                   -- The Toronto Sun

What's wrong with this headline?  It denies a woman, Ontario Liberal
leader Lyn McLeod, the same respect it gives a man, Premier Bob Rae.
Most news media identify adults by their last names.  This practice 
should apply to men and women alike.  To eliminate the bias, just make
the headline parallel:
    
      either "Lyn Goes After Bobbie" or "McLeod Goes After Rae."

Fair's fair.  The same principle applies in daily life.  If you are
addressing men as "Dr." or "Professor," be just as formal with the
women in the group.  Those who have no titles deserve the courtesy of
"Ms."  And never call a woman by her first name unless you expect her
to use yours.

Parallelism also means that men shouldn't always go first.  Vary your
style with phrases like "she and he," hers and his," "women and men."

      WOMEN WRITERS, MALE NURSES: DOES IT MATTER?

Have you ever read an article that identifies an expert as a "woman
doctor"?  Or heard that someone was treated by a "male nurse"?  Many 
references to gender serve no useful purpose, because they put the
emphasis on personal characteristics rather than occupational knowledge
and skills.

Sometimes both sexes bear the damage.  For instance, the term "male
secretary" implies that secretarial work is always done by women.  More
often, though, it's only women who are belittled, because of inequities
leading to editors being mostly male.  No one ever calls Mordecai Richler
"one of our greaters male writers."  But Alice Munro can be labelled
"one of our greatest woman writers," as if her work couldn't stand 
comparison with men's.  Don't mention gender unless it is key to 
understanding the message, as in this headline from the Globe and Mail:

      "Male secretary ruled sexism victim"

     LADIES' DAY IS OVER

"Ladies' dresses," "ladies' night," "ladies and escorts," "the lady
next door."

The word "lady" may have fallen out of favor, but it still turns up in a
multitude of contexts.  Only two meet the standards of the '90s.  When
men are "gentlemen" or "lords," then women can be "ladies."

Many people wonder what's wrong with calling women "ladies."  To them,
the word "lady" implies perfect manners, elegance and refinement -- all
positive traits.  The catch is that they are used by males as a confining
female stereotype.

Our society does not expect theses qualities of men, but demands them of
women.  "Lady" harks back to the rules that evry daughter used to learn
from her mother: "A lady always wears gloves," "A lady never wears white
after Labor Day."

Besides, "lady," unlike gentleman, also has some downright negative
meanings.  A "lady of the evening" is a prostitue.  "Little old lady"
conjures images of childish helplessness.

To address an adult as "young lady" or "little lady" is to condescend to
her.  And that's no way to treat a woman.

     WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

Your speech may be a model of gender-neutrality, but if your pictures
show women in sterotyped roles, they'll undermine your message.  Make
sure the images your choose pass the following tests:

- THEY INCLUDE WOMEN IN POWER ROLES.  Your company's technicians may
  well be a mostly male group.  It's likely to stay that way unless
  you photograph the woman on the team.

- THEY GIVE WOMEN AND MEN EQUAL PROMINENCE.  If you feature men in
  full-page color shots, don't tuck small, black-and-whites of women
  in the corner.  If captions identify men by name, women deserve equal
  treatment.

- THEY DON'T TURN WOMEN INTO SEX OBJECTS.  In a Maclean's photographic
  feature on outstanding Canadians, athlete Silken Laumann appeared in
  a slinky cocktail dress with a pair of oars at her side.  The phallic
  connotation of the oars was obvious.  The men in the story wore their
  normal working garb.

     LETTER PERFECT

If your letter addressed "Dear Sir" ends up on the desk of a vice-
president who's a woman, you've committed a major business blunder.
In fact, almost every letter that leaves your desk makes a statement
about gender.  Here's how to keep in step with the times:

- Don't be too quick to assume that you're writing to a man.  "R. L.
  Jones" could be a woman who detests being addressed as "Mr."  The
  gender-neutral salutation is "Dear R. L. Jones."

- How to avoid the "Dear Sir" dilemma?  "Dear Madam or Sir" is a
  time-honoured formal solution.  Address by title or role such as
  "Dear Managing Director," "Dear Customer," has become increasingly
  acceptable.  Better still, do some research with the telephone or
  a directory, and find out the name of the person you want to reach.

- Use Ms. salutations instead of Mrs. or Miss.  "Mrs." and "Miss" are
  terms to designate whether or not women are yet chattel for men, are
  denigrating, and therefore should never be used.  (Please note --
  although "Ms." isn't an abbreviation, it's now customary to punctuate
  the term.)  Always use a woman's professional title (Judge, Professor,)
  in situations where you would use one for a man.

- The same rule applies when writing to a man and woman couple: avoid
  "Mr. and Mrs." salutations unless the couple have indicated a
  preference for this address.  If a woman has kept her birth name, the
  correct form might be "Dear Margaret Attwood and David Hodges."

- If the woman has a professional title, you might write "Dear Dr. Kahn
  and Mr. De Marco."  In any case, today's wives are not extensions of
  their male spouses.  "Dear Nancy and Tom Cohen" is preferable to "Dear
  Mr. and Mrs. Tom Cohen."

- Keep your closing simple.  Don't sign yourself "Ms." or "Mr." unless
  you use your initials or have a gender-neutral first name, such as
  Terry or Chris.

     *****     GLOSSARY     *****

     WORDS TO THE WISE

     The Work World

Inclusive job titles welcome both women and men to a variety of
occupatons, and help organizatons maximize their "people power."
Unless there's a specific reason otherwise (like an article profiling
women in traditionally male occupations) keep the emphasis on the job,
not the gender.  Some terms are in transition -- "actress" to "actor,"
"ballerina" to "ballet dancer" -- while others, like "police offier,"
are already well-established.

NON-INCLUSIVE                     INCLUSIVE

actess                            actor
ad man, advertising man           advertising representative
airman, aviatrix                  pilot, aviator, flyer
alderman                          municipal councillor
anchorman                         anchor, newscaster, announcer
assemblyman (manufacturing)       assembler
assemblyman (politics)            assembly member, legislator
ballerina                         ballet dancer
barmaid                           bartender
businessman                       business person, business executive,
                                  professional, entrepreneur
call girl                         prostitute
career girl, career woman         executive, manager, professional
cameraman, cameramen              camera operator, camera crew
cleaning lady                     cleaner
clergyman                         cleric, member of the clergy
comedienne                        comedian, comic
craftsman                         artisan
draftsman                         draftsperson, drafting technician
engineman                         engine operator
fireman                           fire fighter
fisherman, fishermen              fisher, fishing crew
ferryman                          ferry operator
foreman                           foreperson, supervisor
frogman                           diver, underwater technician
gasman                            gas fitter, gas pipe installer
girl Friday                       person Friday
harbor master                     harbor chief, harbor person
insurance man                     insurance agent
journeyman                        trade worker
landlady                          landperson, householder,
                                  building manager
lineman                           lineperson, lineworker, line installer
longshoreman                      dockhand, shorehand, longshoreperson
mailman                           letter carrier
meter maid (traffic)              parking constable
meter man (utilities)             meter reader
newsman                           journalist, reporter
papergirl,paperboy                paper carrier
platrolman                        patrol officer
policeamn, policewoman            police officer
poetess                           poet
quarryman                         quarrier, quarry worker
repairman                         repairer, technician
saleslady, salesman               sales representative, sales agent
seamstress                        tailor, dressmaker, alterationist
serviceman                        sevice representative, technician
sideman                           side-player, backup musician
steward, stewardess               flight attendant
taxman                            tax collector
union man                         unionist, union member
                                  union organizer
waitress                          waiter, server
watchman                          guard, security guard
weatherman                        weather reporter, meteorologist
workman                           worker

     The World of Play

Interestingly, many sports and recreation terms are already 
gender-inclusive (batter, goalie, hiker, gymnast, swimmer, to name
just a few).  New words are evolving (and old onew are being revived)
to reflect women's participation in a range of leisure activities.

Non-inclusive                     Inclusive

boatsman                          boater
defenseman                        defense
fisherman                         fisher, angler
gamesman                          gamester, games buff
handyman                          do-it-yourselfer
horseman, horsewoman              rider
linksman                          golfer
outdoorsman                       naturalist, nature lover
rifleman, marksman                sharpshooter
sportsman                         athlete, sports enthusiast
sportsmanlike                     sporting, fair, team spirited
sportsmanship                     fair play
yachtsman                         yachter, yacht owner, sailor

     Roles People Play

Roles and relationships are in transition, and so is the language used
to describe them.  Therms used informally may not be appropriate in a
public setting.  We might have a relationship with a "boyfriend" or
"girlfirend" (or go out for the evening with "the girls" or "the boys")
but terms like "partner" (or "friends") are more appropriate in a
media, business, or professional context.

Non-inclusive                      Inclusive

bachelor (degree)                  baccalaureate, undergraduate degree
benefactress                       benefactor
boyfriend, girlfriend              partner
boys in blue                       police force
chairman                           chair, chairperson, co-ordinator
coed                               student
corporate wife                     corporate spouse
faculty wife                       faculty spouse
freshman                           first-year student
front man                          figurehead
heiress                            heir
heroine                            hero, protagonist
hostess                            host
housewife, househusband            homemaker
layman                             layperson, amateur
middleman                          intermediar, mediator
man and wife                       wife and husband, couple
ombudsman                          advocate, ombudsperson
self-made man                      self-made person, entrepreneur
spokesman                          spokesperson, representative

     The Human Family

Generic use of the word "man" will backfire, and have the reverse
effect on your audience.  Ironically, a politican calling for the 
"unity of mankind" will be excluding more than half the populace!

Non-inclusive                      Inclusive

brotherhood                        comradeship, community
common man                         average person, person in the street
countryman                         compatriot
early man                          early people, prehistoric people
fair sex, weaker sex               AVOID as it is sexual harassment
fatherland                         country of origin, homeland
fellowship                         camaraderie, friendship
forefathers                        ancestors
fraternal                          warm, intimate
fraternal organization             club, society
Frenchman                          the French
man, mankind                       humankind, humanity, humans
modern man                         modern society
rise of man                        rise of civilization
sons of God                        children of God
thinking man                       thinking person, thinker
working woman, working man         wage earner, taxpayer

     Stereotypes

Women aren't necessarily nurturing or intuitive, but some 
stereotypes are slow to fade.  Many compliments given to women are
in fact meant to put a woman in "her" place.

Non-inclusive                      Inclusive

balls (eg. "She's got balls")      guts, moxie
bridesmaid                         bridal attendant
father time                        time
kingdom                            country, land, realm
kingdom come                       the next world, paradise
kingpin                            cornerstone
lady killer                        seducer
ladylike                           cultured
maiden name                        birth name
maiden voyage                      first voyage
man (verb)                         staff, run, operate
man enough                         strong enough
manhood, womanhood                 adulthood
manly                              strong
man-made                           artificial, synthetic, machine-made
man of letters                     scholar, intellectual
man of the world                   sophisticate
man-hours                          staff-hours, person-hours
manpower                           staff, personnel
man-sized                          heavy, large, cumbersome
man-to-man talk                    heart-to-heart talk
matronly                           mature, dignified
one-upmanship                      competitiveness
sexpot, sex kitten                 AVOID as this is sexual harassment
statesman                          diplomat, politician
workmanship                        artisanship, quality construction

     Turns of Phrase

Quotations and turns of phrase provide some special challenges for the
gender-inclusive writer.  You can't go back and rewrite quotations or
titles of books, songs and plays, even if you wish you could.  While 
accuracy in using correct titles and quotations is a must, you can be
aware that quotations relying on stereotypes may no longer prove the
point you want to make.  There are many turns of phrase and expressions
that have developed over time which are flexible, and can keep their
color when reworked.  Here are a few:

Non-inclusive                      Inclusive

All men are created equal          All people are created equal
be his own man                     be one's own person
best man for the job               best person for the job
every man for himself              everyone for themselves
every man has his price            everyone had their price
John Q. Public                     the average citizen
gentleman's agreement              informal agreement
Man does not live by bread alone   People don't live by bread alone
A man's home is his castle         Your home is your castle
man of few words                   person of few words, silent type
no-man's-land                      dead zone

     Putdowns

Everyone knows that terms like "bimbo" or "vamp" are more than
stereotype -- they're insults.  But unintended insults can also
creep into day-to-day language through terms we take for granted,
putting down women.  You must correct everybodies' language, any time
you hear sexist language.  Only by doing this can we end the sexism
in language perpetrated by years of paternalism in society.

Non-inclusive                      Inclusive

bag lady                           street person, homeless person
cute                               AVOID as this is sexual harassment
girl                               AVOID as this is sexual harassment
henpecked                          AVOID
honey                              AVOID
mama's boy                         AVOID
manhandle                          abuse, mistreat
old maid                           AVOID as this is sexual harassment
old wives' tale                    myth, folktale
plain Jane                         AVOID
prodigal son                       prodigal child
sissy                              AVOID
spinster                           single woman
sweet                              AVOID

{end}