Gender equality is a very hot topic these days as women demand equal rights in the workplace and are even running for President. This fight for equality is even in the way people speak and write. The English language is increasingly becoming gender neutral in an attempt to be sexually unbiased toward women. However, the overuse of gender neutral terms is quite comical. To write or speak an already complicated language in a consistent and unbiased way is, if not impossible, futile. Neither side of this debate wins and can ultimately lead to separation of people. Cyra McFadden 's theme in her article, “In Defense of Gender”, is about this increasing use of gender neutrality in writing or speech and how ridiculously futile it is and how
…show more content…
She states how transpersons would be just this group of people where they could still find bias in these changes such as he/she. McFadden uses an example of how a local art critic changed her last name from Terman to Terwoman. A reader pointed out how this change still contains “man” (1981). Again, this is evidence of how someone perceives something and bias could still be seen. If someone is set out looking for bias, they will probably be able to find it. Sexual bias can be found in much greater degrees than just using the “man” prefix or “he/him/his” etc. McFadden also tries to show how either someone will write and speak in an unbiased way, which no one will want to read or listen to, or that same person becomes part of the other “bad” biased side. No one wins. She is correct. Instead of deciding to play a game that no one can win and battle it out between the sexes, people should not play at all (1981). Men and women should be able to rise above all of this and play nice with one another instead of nitpicking their complex, beautiful language to …show more content…
This is effectively proven because of the humor, difficulty with consistency, ineffectiveness to include all groups of people, and the negative affects it has on relationships between people. McFadden does a great job showing this in a humorous way in her article to show her readers how it might not be so important in comparison to other things in life. One of McFadden 's strongest key points that can be seen throughout her article is how futile these changes are and how it can affect relations between people. The author uses the word “neuter” quite frequently. This brings an image to the mind of one body part being separated from the whole. Therefore, she may be trying to imprint on her readers the idea of separation and of the separation of people in particular. This fight over gender bias is affecting relationships between people and separating them on two sides. It is not as important when there are so many other ways where the bias toward women in this world is rampant in a larger and much more powerful way. People should be using their time and effort on more important matters that way. It is possible to look beyond it and embrace our language for what it is. Women have come so far, and they continue making their way more each day throughout the
She states how transpersons would be just this group of people where they could still find bias in these changes such as he/she. McFadden uses an example of how a local art critic changed her last name from Terman to Terwoman. A reader pointed out how this change still contains “man” (1981). Again, this is evidence of how someone perceives something and bias could still be seen. If someone is set out looking for bias, they will probably be able to find it. Sexual bias can be found in much greater degrees than just using the “man” prefix or “he/him/his” etc. McFadden also tries to show how either someone will write and speak in an unbiased way, which no one will want to read or listen to, or that same person becomes part of the other “bad” biased side. No one wins. She is correct. Instead of deciding to play a game that no one can win and battle it out between the sexes, people should not play at all (1981). Men and women should be able to rise above all of this and play nice with one another instead of nitpicking their complex, beautiful language to …show more content…
This is effectively proven because of the humor, difficulty with consistency, ineffectiveness to include all groups of people, and the negative affects it has on relationships between people. McFadden does a great job showing this in a humorous way in her article to show her readers how it might not be so important in comparison to other things in life. One of McFadden 's strongest key points that can be seen throughout her article is how futile these changes are and how it can affect relations between people. The author uses the word “neuter” quite frequently. This brings an image to the mind of one body part being separated from the whole. Therefore, she may be trying to imprint on her readers the idea of separation and of the separation of people in particular. This fight over gender bias is affecting relationships between people and separating them on two sides. It is not as important when there are so many other ways where the bias toward women in this world is rampant in a larger and much more powerful way. People should be using their time and effort on more important matters that way. It is possible to look beyond it and embrace our language for what it is. Women have come so far, and they continue making their way more each day throughout the