Sexism (3).
Today: Better Solutions.
For the persuasive writer — for whom credibility is all — the writer’s point of view matters less than the reader’s. Thus, if one is writing for an unknown or a broad readership, the only course that does not risk damaging one’s credibility is to write around the problem. For this purpose, every writer ought to have available a repertoire of methods to avoid the generic masculine pronoun. No single method is sufficient. Thus, in a given context, one might consider doing any of the following:
o Delete the pronoun reference altogether. E.g.: “Every manager should read memoranda as soon as they are delivered to him [delete ‘to him’] by a mail clerk.”
o Change the pronoun to an article, such as “a” or “the.” E.g.: “An author may adopt any of the following dictionaries in preparing his [read ‘a’] manuscript.”
o Pluralize, so that “he” becomes “they.” E.g.: “A student should avoid engaging in any activities that might bring discredit to his school.” (Read: “Students should avoid engaging in any activities that might bring discredit to their school.”)
o Use the relative pronoun “who,” especially when the generic “he” follows an “if.” E.g.: “If a student cannot use Standard English, he cannot be expected to master the nuances of the literature assigned in this course.” (Read: “A student who cannot use Standard English cannot be expected to master the nuances of the literature assigned in this course.”)
o Repeat the noun instead of using a pronoun, especially when the two are separated by several words. E.g.: “When considering a manuscript for publication, the editor should evaluate the suitability of both the subject matter and the writing style. In particular, he [read ‘the editor’] . . . .”
For information about the Language-Change Index click here.
Next: The Singular “they.”
