Sexism, Language, And Language Essay - 843 Words

Sexism in Language Whether it’s in verbal or written expression, language is our everyday means of interaction. For years, there’s been an ongoing debate about the use of male-based generics and whether or not they promote sexism. Sexist language, as defined by yourdictionary.com, is language that excludes either men or women when discussing a topic that may be applicable to both sexes. Hence, sexist language describes the bias towards a certain sex in language. Importance lies in discussing issues concerning women, especially considering they make up 50% of the human population. Sexist language is strengthening sexism by discriminating against an inclusive society for both genders, affecting perceptions of gender roles in the workplace, and reinforcing the idea of male superiority. Douglas Hofstadter, a philosopher known for analogy-making, wrote a satirical piece entitled A Person Paper on Purity in Language. Here, he makes a mockery of articles that are against sexist language by replacing sex-based terms with race-based (Hofstadter 159 - 67). For instance, where one would place words such as ‘freshman’ or ‘guys’, the author used ‘freshwhite’ and ‘whiteys’. No one could deny that the writing came across as offensive to the African American community, so why are male-based generics not seen as an offense to women? It follows similar patterns. When we use ‘freshmen’, we might refer to both sexes, but the word itself seems to imply that men are more dominant. Say it were theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Sexism in Language 2512 Words   |  11 PagesLanguage refers to the method that humans use to communicate either through speech or written. It consists of the use of the word in a structured and conve ntional way. Language has been referred to as ‘our means of classifying and ordering the world; our means of manipulating reality. In structure and in its use we bring out the world into realisation and if it is inherently inaccurate, then we are misled. (Dale Spender, 1980).Language has power that allows us to make sense out of the reality weRead More Sexism in Language Essay1969 Words   |  8 PagesSexism in Language We all know that men and women are different. They look different, act different, walk, talk, and even smell different. In part, the simple fact that we are different explains why we sometimes have trouble communicating with and understanding the opposite sex. However, a close look at our language may show that there is more to the communication barrier between the sexes than meets the eye. I believe that the English language is very biased towards women. We live in a patriarchalRead MoreThe Value Of Chinese Language1322 Words   |  6 PagesThe value of Chinese Language The knowledge of Chinese language opens many new perspectives for the people who have good command of this language. First of all, Chinese language opens the way to different important fields. These include: Chinese politics, economy, history or archaeology. The knowledge of Chinese language can help to study the unique culture of the ancient civilization. At the heart of Chinese civilization is its rich heritage of novels, short stories, poetry, drama, and other piecesRead MoreI Consider Myself A Feminist Essay764 Words   |  4 Pagesthe importance of language, a feminist is a person, regardless of gender, who believes in the equality and importance of all women in society. I am a feminist because I continue to educate myself to become more self-aware of the danger of sexism and inequality that thre atens women’s rights. 2. Sexism is wrong because it discriminates against people because of their gender. Women are the main group who suffers against sexism. It is safe to say that all women have confronted sexism. According to theRead MoreComparison of One is Not Born a Woman by Wittig and The Second Sex Simone De Beauvoir867 Words   |  4 Pagesimpossible ontologically speaking; because the humans are not divided, thus gender is merely an imaginary realm. It only exist in the language exercises, and the way that cultural products are conceived in them. This essay is a preliminary attempt to offer an analysis of ‘One Is Not Born a Woman’ by Wittig and ‘The Second Sex’ by Simone De Beauvoir holds on the language usage contribution to the creation of genders and the imagined femininity. Through the society imaginations of genders, the societyRead MoreMovies Control: Sex and Violence1436 Words   |  6 Pagespublic believes and accepts. Research shows that the amount and realism of violence and sex in movies has skyrocketed, influencing the views of our generation. However, little to no attention is placed on the effects of movies on our views of racism, sexism, classism, and heteronormativity. Before watching a movie, you can get a general idea of how much sex and violence it will contain, in order to decide if it is appropriate for you. However, how can one tell if a movie is too racist, sexist, classistRead MoreEssay on Alleen Pace Nilsens View of Sexism in English762 Words   |  4 PagesAlleen Pace Nilsens View of Sexism in English Alleen Pace Nilsen began a study of Sexism in American English after returning from a two-year stay in Kabul, Afghanistan. Trying to avoid social issues in her research, Nilsen used the dictionary, as her main source and guide, making note-cards on every entry that seemed to tell something about male and female. She soon discovered that language and society go hand and hand. Furthermore, that the language a culture uses is evident in itsRead MoreThemes of Sexism in Cleopatra and Plutarchs The Life of Antony967 Words   |  4 PagesSimilar to the 1963 film Cleopatra, in Plutarchs The Life of Antony, sexism is maintained in the passage and compatible with its message. Through the authors portrayal of Cleopatra and Antony, he spreads the message that obsession with power is bad and the idea that manipulation and attempts at domination are signs of a bad ruler. Sexism is compatible with such messages because as indicated by Plutarch, Cleopatra utilizes sexist expectations of women in order to manipulate Antony through her aspirationsRead MoreRacism And Racism732 Words   |  3 Pages Sexism, racism and heterosexism are happening in contemporary America till this day. The media reflects everyday struggles that Americans face based primarily on their gender, race and sexual preferences. Many innocent Americans are getting killed in protests and rallies while they defend their rights. Everyday millions of Americans are faced with backlash from their community, state and even their own country for who they are! Heterosexism is the prejudice against homosexuals.Read MoreSexism : Women Are Weak, Less Intelligent, And Less Important Than Men1399 Words   |  6 PagesSexism is â€Å"the belief that women are weaker, less intelligent, and less important than men† (Longman, 1995).Sexism is defined â€Å"as a negative attitude or discriminatory behavior based on the presumed inferiority or difference of women as a group† (Cameron, 2001).Cornell (as cited in Trujillo, 1991, p. 290) defines hegemonic masculinity as â€Å"the culturally idealized form of masculine character† which underlines â€Å"the connecting of masculinity to toughness and competitiveness† and â€Å"the subordination of