SW 110

Social Work
Communicati
on and
Documentati
on

Jeanne-lyn D. Horlador, RSW

GENDER BIAS
in
LANGUAGE
Gender as social is also evident in
language, both oral and written. It shows
the different ways by which gender biased
language can reinforce girls’ and women’s
invisibility, marginalization, and
victimization. It offers concrete options to
make language respectful, gender-fair, and
empowering for girls and women.
Language shapes and reflects the way we
think of and relate towards people. It can
reinforce gender stereotypes and
inequalities in social relations. It can affirm
and reclaim one’s self-respect and personal
agency, challenge biases, and empower
people.

“Language is the blood of the soul into

which thoughts run and out of which they
grow.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
 Activity

UNMASKING
GENDER BIAS
Man has inherent worth
and dignity.

The mother is a plain

housewife.

“Usapang babae lang

yan.”
 The job advertisement
states that “S/he should
be able to work with
minimum supervision.”
He took a courageous
position on the issue,
indicating that he indeed
has balls.
Let’s have a gentlemen’s
agreement on that matter.

Referring to a woman
executive, a male
employee asks: which
boss did she sleep with to
get to the top?
“All human beings are
born free and equal in
dignity and rights,”

“Bakla ang posisyon niya

sa isyu.”
GUIDELINES IN THE
USE OF GENDER
FAIR LANGUAGE
PRINCIPLES

1. Respect for the inherent dignity, worth

and rights of all people.

2. Inclusiveness

3. Gender Equality
 GUIDELINES

• The use of “man” to refer to all human

beings reinforces the invisibility of
women. Replace with “person” or
“human being” or their plural form, i.e.
“persons and “human beings.”

• “He” ceases to be the universal pronoun.

Replace with “she or he” or “he or she.”
 GUIDELINES

• Use parallel language when you refer to

men and women at the same time.

Examples:
a. Replace “man and wife” with “husband
and wife”
b. Replace “Mr. Rex Angeles and his wife
Lea” with “Mr. Rex and Ms. Lea Angeles”
or “Rex and Lea Angeles”
 GUIDELINES

• The order of your words should reflect

your stand for gender equality.

Examples:

“Always putting men first in such phrases

men and women, boys and girls, he or she,
his and hers, male and female gives the
impression that women are afterthoughts or
somehow less important than men.” (Wright
2003)
 GUIDELINES
• “Do not use lady, woman or female as
adjectives – as in lady doctor, woman
solicitor, woman driver or female
secretary – unless gender is relevant.
• Describe the woman not as an
appendage of her husband but as
someone autonomous.

Examples:
Rex Campos and his lovely wife Lea
attended the meeting.
> Rex and Lea Campos attended the
meeting.
 GUIDELINES

• Do not use words or sentences that

have assumptions, hidden or otherwise,
about gender.
Examples:
The social workers and their husbands will
be attending the meeting.
> The social workers and their spouses will
be attending the meeting.