Firemen, policemen, workmen (road workers), etc.?

Question

Firemen, policemen, workmen (road workers), etc.?
What are your thoughts?

(the words- use of 'men' as the norm)

applause for Tera :o)

Answer 1

I think it would be much easier to leave our language alone and change just one word instead of many: "mankind" for instance, should mean everyone, not just men, and if understood in that context, then "fireman, policeman, workman", etc. could then be viewed as gender neutral words.

Answer 2

I don't understand what the big deal is to be honest. It seems that people are seeing sexism inherent in words but at the same time forgetting that words only have the meaning that human beings give them. So it is easier to just refuse to see the percieved sexism and continue using the word to refer to the thing you wish it to refer to. Language cannot be sexist unless the speakers wish to impart sexism into the words themselves. If there is sexism inherent in language it is because other people wish to see it there and want to continue to see it there. Otherwise words, in a vacuum, are meaningless peices of scribble (or wisps of air) on a page which are no more dangerous than dust. I guess what I am trying to say is control your words and don't let your perceptions about the words control you.

Answer 3

What's all the fuss? Those are the names of professions. Wow we really are an advanced civilization getting flustered what to call a profession. Besides; when talking about the word men we are saying person. ** Edit Greenpeas: Women have been in Congress's long before any of us have been born. 1916 Jeannette Rankin, of Montana, is the first woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.* 1922 Rebbecca Felton of Georgia becomes the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. She is appointed by the governor of Georgia after the death of her husband. As the first woman senator, she serves for only two days.*1925 Nellie Taylor Ross of Wyoming becomes the first female state governor* 1932 January 12, Hattie Caraway of Arkansas becomes the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate after winning a special election to fill the remaining term of her late husband. In November 1932, she wins the election for a full term.*1933 Frances Perkins is appointed secretary of labor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, making her the first woman member of a presidential cabinet.**Aslo take note that Hilary Clinton is not the first and only woman presidential candidate.* 1964 Margaret Chase Smith, of Maine, becomes the first woman nominated for president of the United States by a major political party, at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco.* 1872 Victoria Claflin Woodhull becomes the first woman presidential candidate in the United States when she is nominated by the National Radical Reformers.

Answer 4

I do know for a fact that police officers refer to themselves as "police officers," and not "policemen" or "policewomen." To me this is as natural as breathing. Firefighters, roadworkers, utility covers, workers' compensation - these words are no big deal and not a sign the republic is disintegrating.

Airman, midshipman and corpsman remain the same though.

Answer 5

Let feminists use the terminology they regard as "gender neutral" and let the rest of us just speak English. And while we're at it, the rest of us should bring some freedom-of-speech lawsuits against academic organizations (APA) that insist on "gender-neutral" language in their publication guidelines. One should not be forced to conform to implied loyalty-oaths to feminism if one finds feminism repugnant.

Answer 6

I think that you have to be cautious since there are women who work in this field and we should perhaps adopt a more gender neutral stance. I find it odd that men in non traditional roles such as nursing, bank teller, hairstylist or secretary are instantly besieged with questions about their sexual orientation. I believe that is pretty sexist as well. The best stylist I ever had is and was a male.

Answer 7

Move up to the 21st century along with the rest of the world:

1. firefighter
2. police constable/officer
3. road worker (not an actual job title)

Tera:
"mankind" becomes humankind or humanity. It's easy - just think outside the box a little bit and viola!

Answer 8

I suppose the polcorists would like us to say firepersons, policepersons, workpersons, etc. But why distort the English language any further? In norman usage '-man' already means '-person'.

Answer 9

It's not really sexiest , it's just that the human race is called "mankind" & not "personkind".Just like tigers are called that & not "tiger-person".

Answer 10

I don't mind. It sounds too stuffy to say "person" after every descriptive prefix.