Campus

Gender

Gender-neutral language and the singular they

The UOC recommends using gender-neutral language. For example, to refer to a person whose gender is unknown to you or not of concern, you can use the pronoun they (or its inflected forms their, them and themselves/themself):

Each student must submit their paper by midnight on 30 June.


This contrasts with use of the masculine forms he, him, his and himself in circumstances such as these. In the 19th and 20th centuries many grammarians prescribed this approach but nowadays it is recommended less often:

Each student must submit his paper by midnight on 30 June.


There are differences of opinion regarding the approaches described above. The view from the UOC Language Service is that arguments in favour of the so-called singular they (for example those provided by Purdue OWL or the Oxford English Dictionary) outweigh arguments against it (for example this opinion piece published by The Atlantic).

If you feel unsure about which third-person singular pronoun to use, bear in mind that it may be possible to avoid the third-person singular altogether. By making the entire sentence plural our example becomes:

All students must submit their papers by midnight on 30 June.


Another option is to omit reference any person at all, particularly when it would not add information that cannot be otherwise inferred. For example:

Papers must be submitted by midnight on 30 June.


When the sentence in question provides instructions, you may also consider using the gender-neutral you or an imperative formulation. Examples:

You should submit your paper by midnight on 30 June.

 

Submit your paper by midnight on 30 June.


Finally, on rare occasions, constructions such as he/she, s/he or he or she (or the corresponding inflected forms) might be used, thus giving, for example:

Each student must submit his or her paper by midnight on 30 June.


Bear in mind, however, that these types of construction are non-inclusive towards people whose gender identity is non-binary and their repetition can make a text sound stilted. It is therefore best to avoid using them. 

Personal pronouns

When writing about people whose gender is known and/or relevant to the context, it is UOC policy to respect their identified pronouns. To this end, if the person's gender is binary (or they have otherwise stated a preference for such pronouns), use she, her, her(s) and herself for those who identify as female and he, him, his and himself for those who identify as male. 
 
In other cases, use the person's shared pronouns, that is, the pronouns with which the person has specifically stated they wish to be referred. Often, these pronouns will be they, them, their(s) and themselves/themself. Other times, they may be a different set of pronouns, such as ze, hir, hir(s) and hirself. These pronouns have been introduced into the language specifically to make it more gender-inclusive. Some people may have multiple stated preferences (e.g. they or she) or ask to be referred to without pronouns at all (e.g. using only their name or other words, such as references to their occupation, that, in context, make it clear who is being referred to). What matters most is to be respectful of each individual's identity. 

For any doubts not covered here, for example regarding newer non-binary pronouns which are less familiar and whose usage is still evolving, sources such as pronouns.org may offer helpful solutions.

Gendered terms

In many cases, gender-neutral terms now exist for traditionally gendered expressions. Examples:

chairman: chair or chairperson

 

steward/stewardess: flight attendant

 

policeman: police officer


Generally speaking, the UOC prefers to use gender-neutral terms when possible and natural. Use your best judgement for when their use might be appropriate.

In contrast, be sure not to re-gender sentences that already use gender-neutral terms by adding gendered phrases. For instance, phrases such as male nurse or female executive, which may unwittingly reinforce sex-role stereotypes, should be avoided unless the author is intentionally drawing a distinction based on gender. Even then, the sentence can often be restated in a more gender-neutral fashion. For example, the sentence Female executives account for only 30% of the total number could be rewritten as Women account for only 30% of executives.

Where it is necessary to include such a phrase, use the modifier female or woman/women rather than lady or girl to avoid negative and/or dated connotations.

Alternating gendered terms

When it is deemed absolutely necessary to use both a masculine and a feminine term, be sure to alternate which comes first. Example:

aunts and uncles […] uncles and aunts


Alternatively, in some texts you may be able to alternate between examples involving one gender and examples involving the other. Texts about parenting, for instance, often use alternating examples involving daughters and sons. That said, this usage can be confusing and it is thus essential when following it to ensure the coherence and readability of the text as a whole.

Infographic

The recommendations given on this page are also summarized in this infographic.