Just as the sexes deserve fair and equal treatment in the workplace, they also deserve fair and equal treatment in workplace writing. While this may seem self-evident, avoiding sexism in business writing requires special sensitivity toward gendered language.
As general rules, keep your writing gender-neutral, avoid gender-based stereotypes, and use terms of respect when references to gender are unavoidable. Also follow these specific tips:
1. Use non-gendered occupational titles.
Replace archaic job references with non-gendered alternatives.
- person, individual (not man)
- chair, presiding officer, moderator (not chairman)
- sales representative, salesperson (not salesman)
- mail carrier, postal worker (not mailman)
- executive, manager, worker (not businessman)
- legislator, congressional representative (not congressman)
2. Use discretion with courtesy titles and salutations.
To avoid misunderstanding in salutations, never guess your reader’s gender, and always use respectful courtesy titles.
- Choose titles and salutations based on your relationship with the reader and the seriousness of the message.
- Use the person’s full name if you are unsure of the person’s gender or marital status (Dear Pat Reynolds).
- Choose professional titles before courtesy titles (Dear Dr. Reynolds).
- Consider neutral greetings for unknown readers (Dear Reader, Dear Colleague).
- If none of the tips above apply, use the person's preferred courtesy title (Mr. for men; Ms. Miss, or Mrs. for women; Mx for those who prefer not to be identified by gender).
- Ask for clarification if you are not sure of a person’s preferred title.
3. Use pronouns with care.
Language conventions, like culture, evolve through time. For example, consider which personal pronoun should complete the following sentence with a singular indefinite subject.
Every employee should hand in ____ time card.
At one time, his would have sufficed, since masculine nouns and pronouns were commonly used to represent all people in circumstances when gender was variable. This option also made grammarians happy because the singular his agrees with its singular antecedent.
In the more recent past, the universal masculine fell out of favor for its blatant dismissal of women. In its place, grammar books suggested referring to singular indefinite pronouns of indeterminate gender using his or her alternating with her or his. This solution, though, was clunky and could be taken as sexist and gender-binary.
What about today? No universal rule exists. Some grammar sticklers still recommend his or her or her or his. However, most major style guides, including the Chicago Manual of Style, Associated Press, and Modern Language Association (MLA), now allow third-person plural pronouns (they, them, their) to refer to singular indefinite pronouns when gender is indeterminate.
We agree that you can use a third-person plural pronoun in similar circumstances, but only as a last resort. First, try these workarounds.
Use the Plural Form of the Antecedent
Original: Every employee must turn in his or her time card.
Revised: All employees must turn in their time cards.
Replace the Pronoun with an Article
Original: Every employee must turn in his or her time card.
Revised: Every employee must turn in a time card.
Remove the Pronoun Altogether
Original: Every employee must turn in his or her time card.
Revised: A time card is required from each employee.
Replace the Pronoun with Who
Original: An employee will receive payment only if he or she turns in a time card.
Revised: Only an employee who turns in a time card will receive payment.
Create a Command
Original: Every employee must turn in his or her time card to receive payment.
Revised: Turn in your time card to receive payment.
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