Sex changes in law
Sir, — I have followed recent efforts to replace “sexist” language with some sympathy but have not been very impressed with results such as chairperson, linesperson, and bandsperson. The Concise Oxford Dictionary gives the meaning of the word “man” as a human being, an individual of genus homo. It gives two other genderless meanings before getting to the fourth which is given as an adult human male. The very first meaning of the word “woman” is given as an adult human female. If the word “man” was restricted to its primary meaning of "human being” and the use of the word “woman” was discontinued, we could all be chairmen, linesmen and bandsmen together without there being any sexist connotation. And farther, we could all
use manholes. This is not a perfect solution but it could achieve the desired result with the minimum disturbance to our language. — Yours, etc.,
R. STRAIGHT. April 12, 1986.
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Press, 15 April 1986, Page 16
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156Sex changes in law Press, 15 April 1986, Page 16
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