Re: Gender in language

From: David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>

Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 18:10:15 +0000

Steve T. writes:
>> What I meant to say is this: I believe that using "man" in some contexts
>> for all humankind, and in other contexts for only males, does encourage
>> and enable sex discrimination.
>
> Its a very nice sentiment, but equally a very annoying one.  The word
> means what the word means.  It is patently NOT sexist.  If it is
> somehow construed as sexist, then the people who are incorrectly
> interpreting it are the ones at fault.  This is not a good reason to
> change the usage of a word.

I don't think the concept of "fault" is useful or relevant: there is
just cause and effect.  Furthermore, I can't change all of the people in
the world, to whom you want to assign "fault".  (The people who are
influenced by this sort of language to discriminate in sexist ways which
I think they otherwise would not.)  I can, however, change the language
that I use.  It seems to me that changing that which I can control is
better than saying it's all someone else's responsibility.

David desJardins

References

Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:07:58 +0000
Re: Gender in language
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:48:57 +0000

Referenced By

Re: Gender in language
David desJardins <desj@math.berkeley.edu>
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:07:58 +0000
Re: Gender in language
madcentral@aol.com (MadCentral)
Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:48:57 +0000