Sexist Language

 Postman Postal Worker

More and more, writers are avoiding the use of sexist language. Instead of using the word postman, maybe they're using an alternative like a postal worker. Using man instead of a more gender-neutral term can be considered controversial since it puts men as the default and neglects other gender expressions. In The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers it states, “To avoid sending the wrong message, it’s worth making the effort to avoid sexist language,” (Ballenger 220). My question asks (1) Should we include literature in our writing that contains sexist language? And (2) Should we censor literature that contains sexist language? Shortly, my answers are (1) yes and (2) no.

Including Sexist Language?

Literature that includes sexist language should absolutely be included in our writing (hear me out). Quoting or paraphrasing material that includes sexist, or even racist, ableist, etc. language can be a beneficial way of characterizing the author of the writing. It can indicate the time period in which something is written or the author's beliefs and intentions. However, when quoting or paraphrasing information with sexist language it is important to make your reasoning for including that type of language clear. This can be addressed by providing historical context about when the material was written or a statement about the person's beliefs. Writing with lots of offensive language can be addressed in the introduction. A strategy for introductions listed in the article “Introductions and Conclusions” states to give “background information necessary for understanding the essay,” (Freedman and Plotnick). Adding information about why your writing contains controversial language in the introduction can be a beneficial way of clearly stating your ethics, thus, making your writing easier to understand.

Censoring

No, we shouldn't censor literature that contains sexist language. First of all, that would take too long but, also, as I stated before, literature that contains sexist language says a lot about the time period the work was written, the author's beliefs, and potentially the author's geographical location (more patriarchal area vs. less patriarchal area). Teaching history in this way can also be specifically beneficial to students. In “The Book I Never Got to Read: A Tale of Book Censorship” the author discusses how books that have been censored in recent times can teach students history and says, “Teaching history to students allows for past lessons to be understood, lessens the chance of repeating mistakes in history, and creates an opening for students to form their own opinions on history, the current present, and the future.” By keeping literature uncensored of sexist language, students can be more cognizant of how things were written, which will help them with their own writing.

Sexist Section Headings?

Section headers are effective and commonly used tools in academic writing. Should sexist language be used in these? I think they can, particularly if the writing specifically tackles sexism. Sexist headings can be used in a sort of ironic/mocking type of way to introduce a point. For example, it could say:

• “Women can’t be policemen!” - Person Mcpersonson
• Why would a woman ever want to be a congressman?

The worksheet, “Using Section Headings” by Grand Valley State University Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors states that headings can help readers get the “gist” of your document (1). By including section headings like the examples above, readers would easily pick up on your tone and stance on an argument involving sexism. 

Works Cited

Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers. Eighth ed., Pearson, 2015. 

Everett, Courtney. “The Book I Never Got to Read: A Tale of Book Censorship.” Emerging Writers, 2022, https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/emergingwriters/vol5/iss1/7/. 

Freedman , Leora, and Jerry Plotnick. “Introductions and Conclusions.” University of Toronto Writing Advice, https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/intros-and-conclusions/. 

Grand Valley State University Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors. Using Headings. https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/CC3BFEEB-C364-E1A1-A5390F221AC0FD2D/creative_writing_reflective_writing_gg_final.pdf. 

Appealing to Multiple Audiences

Childhood Movie

Animated children's shows and movies will sometimes appeal to two audiences, the kid, and also the adults that are watching the show or movie with them. Occasionally, when rewatching a show from my childhood, I will pick up on a joke that completely flew over my head when I was younger, or sometimes I will gain a new appreciation for the show because of the fascinating details in the animation or musical score. For example, when I was a kid, I liked the movie Ratatouille because of Remy's humorous antics, but now that I'm older I appreciate the movie because of its incredible musical score. I believe the same can be done with argumentative essays. They can be directed toward a primary audience, like children for the movie Ratatouille, but also include details that can be understood by a secondary audience.

Code-Switching

One thing that many of us do on a day-to-day basis is code-switching. Defined by “The Light Switch of Language: Code-Switching,” “Code-switching is the ability to change dialects or languages based on your setting or audience,” (Johnson 1). Speaking to different audiences via words or references that are specific to each culture, age group, discipline, etc. can be an interesting tactic to intimately relate to multiple audiences while at the same time educating people about unfamiliar terms or references.

Topic Sentence

A necessary part of an argumentative essay, topic sentences, can be used as a vessel to incorporate code-switching. According to the article, “What is a Topic Sentence?” a topic sentence is “a sentence, sometimes at the beginning of a paragraph, that states or suggests the main idea (or topic) of a paragraph,” (Nordquist). A topic sentence can accomplish this goal of stating the main idea of a paragraph while at the same time appealing to multiple audiences.

Example: Jerk Chicken is Better than Fried Chicken topic sentence

• Y'all know that I enjoy that simplicity of a salty piece of fried chicken, however, the spicy kick of Walkerswood jerk seasoning of the far less-saturated jerk chicken deems it supreme.

This example uses code-switching by first addressing its southern audience with “y’all” and then referencing a common Jamaican seasoning while at the same time addressing the main idea of the paragraph, chicken flavor.

Thesis Statement

Another important part of an argumentative essay is the thesis statement. I believe a thesis statement can also be directed toward multiple audiences. An article titled “Using Thesis Statements” highlights the importance of expressing “awareness of difficulties and disagreements” in thesis statements, and I believe this can be accomplished in a manner that appeals to multiple audiences (Procter).

Example: Older Pixar movies are better than newer Pixar movies thesis statement

• Children now are spending more time watching Pixar movies than children of the early 2000s, and Pixar movies from 2016 to present-day have a higher average Rotten Tomatoes score than films from 1999-2015. However, older Pixar films are better due to their more unique plots and a stronger ability to evoke emotion.

That statement is entirely made up by me, of course, but it is an example of how a thesis statement can address disagreements towards their argument from two audiences: the children with high watch rates and also film critics. 

Final Thoughts

All that being said, I will most likely only target one audience for my essay since it does not explicitly speak to two or more audiences like the southern fried chicken vs. jerk chicken example. However, one of my goals is to have a perfected thesis statement since it is a pivotal part of any essay, and as The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers states, it is vital for me to “return again and again” to this statement throughout my essay (Ballenger 165).

Works Cited

Ballenger, Bruce. The Curious Researcher: A Guide to Writing Research Papers. Eighth ed., Pearson, 2015. 

Johnson, Cierra. “The Light Switch of Language: Code-Switching.” Emerging Writers, May 2021, https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/emergingwriters/vol4/iss1/6/. 

Nordquist, Richard. “What Is a Topic Sentence?” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 12 Feb. 2020, https://www.thoughtco.com/topic-sentence-composition-1692551. 

Procter, Margaret. “Using Thesis Statements.” Writing Advice, University of Toronto, https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/planning/thesis-statements/.