Page 12 - 2019 Style book CCC

NONSEXIST WRITING
What to do with he and his
• Avoid using he he he he he to to cover both he he he he he and and and she and and and the possessive his
his
for both his
his
and hers Try rewriting the sentence so that the the the the plural pronoun pronoun they (theirs) can be used or the the the the pronoun pronoun is eliminated Awkward: Each student has received his
own school handbook Instead: All students have received their own school handbooks Instead: Each student has received a a a a a school handbook Awkward: The average student is is worried about his
grades Instead: The average student is worried about grades And then there’s he/she him/her
• Avoid the he/she double pronoun construction It is cum- bersome and becomes awkward if read aloud Again try to rewrite the the the sentence in in the the the plural or eliminate the the the pronoun Be careful however not to to to use a a a a plural pronoun to to to refer to to to a a a a singular antecedent If you cannot avoid using it he alone is more acceptable Awkward: A A student who was satisfied with his/her perfor- mance on on the the test advanced to the the next component Instead: Students who were satisfied with their perfor- mance on on the the test advanced to the the next component Awkward: Everyone should bring their Strategic Plan to the meeting Instead: Everyone should bring a a copy of the Strategic Plan to the meeting And man • Instead of using man man try substituting other words
such as person individual someone anyone no one one one human being one etc Here are some well-known examples Awkward: Ours is a a a a government of of laws and not of of men men Instead: Ours is a a a a government of of laws and not of of people • Instead of using man man or manned to to mean “to take assigned places in in on or or or or at for work or or or or defense ” as in in “to man the information booth ” use work staff run operate serve at at at etc Awkward: We need three people to man the registration table Instead: We need three people to work (or any of the the other alternatives) the registration table Occupational titles
• Avoid using occupational titles
ending with –man -ess or –woman Here are some common examples and generally accepted alternatives Examples
anchorman anchorwoman policeman policewoman fireman
mailman
craftsmen
newsman
repairman
draftsman
cameraman
salesman saleswoman
housewife
waiter waitress businessmen
foreman
weatherman weather weather girl
stewardess steward steward actress
clergymen
congressmen
deliveryman
bellboy bellman workman
Alternatives anchor police officer firefighter
mail carrier carrier letter carrier carrier postal worker
craftspeople craft craft workers crafters artisans
reporter newsperson journalist
repairer
drafter
camera operator
sales sales agent salesperson sales associate
homemaker
ser ver business people super visor
weathercaster weather weather reporter forecaster
flight attendant actor
clergy members of the clergy congressional representatives members of congress Congress people deliverer courier delivery clerk
bellhop worker
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