Can Gender-Fair Language Reduce Gender Stereotyping and Discrimination?

Course overview

This course is based upon material published in the Frontiers in Psychology journal and is available as an open-access article. Gender-fair language (GFL) aims at reducing gender stereotyping and discrimination. Two principal strategies have been employed to make languages gender fair and to treat women and men symmetrically: neutralization and feminization. Neutralization is achieved, for example, by replacing male-masculine forms (policeman) with gender unmarked forms (police officer), whereas feminization relies on the use of feminine forms to make female referents visible (i.e., the applicant... he or she instead of the applicant... he). By integrating research on (1) language structures, (2) language policies, and (3) individual language behavior, we provide a critical review of how GFL contributes to the reduction of gender stereotyping and discrimination. Our review provides a basis for future research and for scientifically based policymaking. This course on gender stereotyping and discrimination is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors, who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their knowledge of gender stereotyping and discrimination. The course material includes a literature review of gender-fair language. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading research-based articles for continuing education is they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: Sczesny, Formanowicz, and Moser Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding gender stereotyping and discrimination. Specifically, a professional will: Describe what gender-fair language is and how to implement it Identify how gender-fair language helps to reduce gender stereotyping Recognize the use of gender-fair language in decreasing discrimination Citation: Sczesny S, Formanowicz M and Moser F (2016) Can Gender-Fair Language Reduce Gender Stereotyping and Discrimination? Front. Psychol. 7:25. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00025