Gender neutral language in English: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:44, 11 February 2026

Gender neutral language

Gender neutral language in English is much easier than gender neutral language (also called gender inclusive language) in many other languages, because its grammatical gender is less pervasive than in other languages where adjectives and verbs have masculine or feminine forms. See the main article on gender neutral language for general reasons to use neutral language, common problems in using it, and its use for nonbinary people.

HistoryEdit

Although English has grammatical gender, it's only a vestige of what it once had. Old English once had grammatical gender for inanimate objects, but this practice started to disappear in the 700s, and vanished in the 1200s. The population of England at that time spoke several languages, and the same inanimate objects had different genders in those different languages. They may have stopped using that part entirely just to make it simpler. English stopped using grammatical gender for inanimate objects, but it still uses grammatical gender for people and personal pronouns.^[1] There is enough to make a challenge for nonbinary people who don't want gendered language to be used for them

[1]

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 * '''Money honey, sugar parent.''' Neutral alternatives to sugar mommy and sugar daddy.
 * '''Swordfighter.''' Neutral alternatives for swordswoman and swordsman.
-*'''Wix'''. Neologistic gender neutral term for a magic user (akin to "witch"/"wizard"). Originated in Harry Potter fandom<ref>https://wixenzine.tumblr.com/about [https://web.archive.org/web/20201129011538/https://wixenzine.tumblr.com/about Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>, created by tumblr blog magicqueers.<ref>https://fanlore.org/wiki/Wix [https://web.archive.org/web/20230628171727/https://fanlore.org/wiki/Wix Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> However, many people view "witch" as gender neutral instead of specific to women.<ref>[https://getbewitched.tumblr.com/post/622284433430609920/are-you-still-a-witch-if Are you still a witch if:] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201027223745/https://getbewitched.tumblr.com/post/622284433430609920/are-you-still-a-witch-if Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>[https://black-raven200.tumblr.com/post/622866451403063296/the-term-witch-is-gender-neutral-pass-it-on The term “witch” is gender neutral, pass it on] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201118192051/https://black-raven200.tumblr.com/post/622866451403063296/the-term-witch-is-gender-neutral-pass-it-on Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>[https://ravenhexxx.tumblr.com/post/190956765857 A witch is a witch regardless of gender] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201118192032/https://ravenhexxx.tumblr.com/post/190956765857 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://opulentcharms.com/can-men-be-witches/ |work=Opulent Charms | title=Can Men Be Witches? Of Course, Magick Is for Everyone |author=Morgan Danielle |date=7 September 2023 |quote=Despite movies such as Harry Potter saying male practitioners of magick are called Wizards or Warlocks, the general consensus today is that you’re simply a witch, regardless of gender.}}</ref> Alternatives includes '''mage, enchanter, enchantment artist, bewitcher, witchcrafter, witchcraft artist, magic user, or witch/wizard''' as gender-neutral words for seperate types of magic usage.
+*'''Wix'''. Neologistic gender neutral term for a magic user (akin to "witch"/"wizard"). Originated in Harry Potter fandom<ref>https://wixenzine.tumblr.com/about [https://web.archive.org/web/20201129011538/https://wixenzine.tumblr.com/about Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>, created by tumblr blog magicqueers.<ref>https://fanlore.org/wiki/Wix [https://web.archive.org/web/20230628171727/https://fanlore.org/wiki/Wix Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> However, many people view "witch" as gender neutral instead of specific to women.<ref>[https://getbewitched.tumblr.com/post/622284433430609920/are-you-still-a-witch-if Are you still a witch if:] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201027223745/https://getbewitched.tumblr.com/post/622284433430609920/are-you-still-a-witch-if Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>[https://black-raven200.tumblr.com/post/622866451403063296/the-term-witch-is-gender-neutral-pass-it-on The term “witch” is gender neutral, pass it on] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201118192051/https://black-raven200.tumblr.com/post/622866451403063296/the-term-witch-is-gender-neutral-pass-it-on Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>[https://ravenhexxx.tumblr.com/post/190956765857 A witch is a witch regardless of gender] [https://web.archive.org/web/20201118192032/https://ravenhexxx.tumblr.com/post/190956765857 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://opulentcharms.com/can-men-be-witches/ |work=Opulent Charms | title=Can Men Be Witches? Of Course, Magick Is for Everyone |author=Morgan Danielle |date=7 September 2023 |quote=Despite movies such as Harry Potter saying male practitioners of magick are called Wizards or Warlocks, the general consensus today is that you’re simply a witch, regardless of gender.}}</ref> Alternatives includes '''mage, enchanter, enchantment artist, bewitcher, witchcrafter, witchcraft artist, magic user, spellcaster, conjurer, summoner or witch/wizard''' as gender-neutral words for seperate types of magic usage.
 *'''Woodworker.''' Gender neutral term for woodsman.
 ===Descriptions===
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 *'''Companion.''' Status- and gender-neutral word for someone's accompanying person.
 *'''Company.''' Status- and gender-neutral word for someone's accompanying person.
+*'''Concubus.''' Demonic spirit in human form, can be specifically gender-fluid. Succubi and incubi are not necessarily female and male equivalents even though they are generally thought of that way, but it refers to being bottom and top respectively.
 *'''Craftship, craft, artisanry, craft mastery, crafting skill, quality of craft.''' Neutral word for craft(s)manship.
 *'''Dream partner, royal dream partner.''' Neutral alternatives to dream prince/princess
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 *'''Frontperson, lead, bandleader.''' Neutral alternatives to frontwoman/frontman.
 *'''Garbage worker, sanitation worker, garbage truck-driver, garbage collector, garbage person.''' Neutral alternatives to garbage woman and garbage man.
+*'''Gendercide.''' Gender non-specific term for types of gender-related killings such as femicide, transfemicide and androcide.
 *'''Golden child.''' Neutral alternative to golden boy.
 *'''Handle roughly, handle forcefully.''' Neutral alternatives to manhandle.
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 *'''Parriarch.''' Gender non-specific term for matriarch and patriarch.
 *'''Parricide.''' Gender non-specific term for matricide and patricide.
-*'''Partyperson, partier, party animal, partygoer.''' Neutral alternatives for partygirl and partyboy.
+*'''Partyperson, party people, partier, party animal, partygoer.''' Neutral alternatives for partygirl and partyboy.
 *'''Penship, handwriting skill/craft, quality of handwriting, mastery of handwriting.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for penmanship.
 *'''Performance skills/artistry, stage presence, theatrics.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for showmanship.
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 *'''Political skill, diplomancy, diplomatic skill, governance expertise.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for statesmanship.
 *'''Prior name/surname, pre-marriage name/surname, birth name/surname, (originally) given name/surname, family name/surname, name/surname before marriage.''' Neutral alternatives to maiden name.
+*'''Psyching, artifice.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for gamesmanship.
 *'''Quality of work, workship.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for workmanship.
 *'''Realm, crownland, crowndom, landdom, monarchy.''' Neutral alternatives for queendom and kingdom.
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 *'''Stay-at-home parent/spouse/partner.''' Neutral alternatives to stay-at-home mother/father and stay-at-home wife/husband.
 *'''Student association, academic social club.''' Neutral alternatives to sororities and fraternities.
-*'''(Un)attended/(un)crewed/(un)piloted/(un)armed/(un)staffed/(un)occupied/vacant.''' Neutral alternatives for (un)manned.
 *'''Sword fighting, sword mastership, sword mastery, sword skill.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for swordsmanship.
+*'''Seducter.''' Neutral alternatives to terms like womanizer and man-eater/manizer.
 *'''The average person, the common person.''' Neutral alternatives for the common man/woman.
-*'''Psyching, artifice.''' Neutral non-male-generalizing alternatives for gamesmanship.
+*'''(Un)attended/(un)crewed/(un)piloted/(un)armed/(un)staffed/(un)occupied/vacant.''' Neutral alternatives for (un)manned.
 *'''Yas/slay/go off/get it/fuck 'em up/pop off/snap it/tell 'em legend/icon/boss/quing/royalty/majesty/liege/eminence/excellency.''' Neutral alternatives to "yas queen/king".
 *'''"Yo!", "Yoo!", "Damn!", "Dang!", "Whoa!", "Fam!" (colloquial, inclusive), "Hey!", "Wow!", "Oo dang!", "Oo wow!", "Oo hot damn!", "Oo yes!", "Oo snap!".''' Neutral alternatives to "king!", "dude!", "bro!", "bruh!", "girl!" and "oo girl!"