Being mindful towards the way we speak about women
Women’s history month is not only a time to celebrate women trailblazers and everyday heroes, but a time to recognize the importance of respecting and uplifting women. This can be done not only by recognizing and acknowledging the achievements of women, but looking at the language and context in which we speak about them.
There are many ways our everyday language diminishes the presence of women. For example, women will often be called “females,” which is particularly problematic since this is generally used to preface negative attributes about women. It is a way to strip women of their personhood, generalize them and reduce them to a biological name.
This can also be seen in settings where a woman holds a position of high power. For example, women are often referred to as a “girlboss.” Demoting women to “girls,” which implies adolescence, and modifying the word “boss” implies that those in a position of power (i.e. “the boss”) is a position only for a man to hold (more in ‘“Girlboss:”empowering or insulting?’).
Phrases and words like these may be commonly accepted, but in many ways, they are heavily influenced by sexism. This gendered language also perpetuates a binary understanding of gender. For example, “girlboss” assumes that “women” or “men” can only be a boss, which complicates our understanding of gender as a fluid spectrum and who we see in positions of power.
While words like “girlboss” have been reclaimed in many ways by women to connote power and support among women, it is not always used in such a way.
Language in general is marred by gender stereotypes and the traditional binary understanding of what gender is. We recognize that language is complicated as is gender identity and the systemic underpinnings of sexism in our society. We recognize that small phrases like these may seem trivial in our everyday conversations. However, it’s crucial to be mindful of how we speak.
The language we use and the expectations we have for women compared to men are unfair, and can be truly harmful by placing women into categories. It is important that we all consistently check our implicit biases.
While some women have reclaimed words such as “female” and “girlboss,” think of your identity, who you’re speaking to, and the weight your language carries in the space that you occupy. Our words have power and we need to use them wisely.
We all need to be mindful and ensure that our language, as well as our actions, are respectful and uplifting women.
