Humanities Homework Help

Have you ever thought about the gender of words? Why are you called a freshman and not a freshwoman? Or a chairman and not a chairwoman? Why do you receive a bachelor and not a bachelorette degree? Why do we refer to a group as guys and not gals? Gender talk – how men and women talk, what they talk about, and how they talk about each other – communicates volumes about gender identity and linguistic sexism in society.

How sexist is your world? For 5 days, note traditional and nontraditional verbal and nonverbal communication styles of men/women or masculine/feminine or non-binary and record language that you would describe as sexist. Include your own use of language and others in conversations with friends and family, discussions with teachers and classmates, and from what you see, hear and read in media: TV, movies, radio, podcasts, music lyrics, magazines, newspapers, books, websites, textbooks, video games, apps, text messages, tweets, social media posts, advertising, as well as billboards, posters, T-shirts, bumper stickers, etc.

Share three examples of sexist or neutral language that are representative of your everyday in-person and media experiences. Include what was said (exact language or paraphrased), who said it and the circumstances, and indicate whether or not you find it acceptable or objectionable and briefly explain why. Apply relevant linguistic sexism concepts to discuss patterns that emerge and ways in which language can stereotype and/or limit gender equality and inclusiveness.

Discussion Guidelines:
Discuss three examples and apply linguistic sexism concepts to explain gender equity in language.