Gender Neutral Language Guidelines

Scope of Application

These guidelines currently apply to publications and policy statements whose primary audience is enrolled students at Sarah Lawrence, such as the student handbook. However, reducing unnecessary gender reference in all materials is ideal.

Intro Note or Footnote

The following note should be added to revised materials:

In an effort to avoid gendered language in this document, Sarah Lawrence College has chosen to make exception to select grammatical rules (i.e. pronoun agreement).

Recommended Guidelines

1. Where possible and appropriate, use second person (you, your, yours). Second person not only eliminates gender reference, but also makes the copy more personal and engaging.
   • Each student must obtain his or her parking permit the first week of the semester.
     • You will need to obtain your parking permit the first week of the semester.
2. Where second person is inappropriate or impractical—in a policy statement, for example—first try to rework the copy to eliminate singular gendered pronouns (he, she, him, her). Remove them altogether, use plural nouns and pronouns, or employ articles (a, an, the). Use non-gendered nouns as needed (student, person, individual, one), but try to do so sparingly to avoid excessive repetition and cumbersome structure.
   • Each student must obtain the signature of his or her father or mother.
     • Each student must obtain the signature of a parent.
     • All students must obtain a signature from one of their parents.
3. When absolutely unavoidable, use plural non-gendered pronouns (they, them, their) to replace singular gendered pronouns (he, she, him, her). While this is grammatically incorrect, we can acknowledge the exception in the note recommended above.
   • If a friend is assaulted, assure him or her it was not his or her fault; he or she did his or her best.
     • If a friend is assaulted, assure them it was not their fault; your friend did their best.
4. Avoid conditional sentences introduced by if or when, which often require the use of pronouns.
   • If the student is the principal researcher, he or she should place an asterisk after his or her name.
     • Place an asterisk after the name of the principal researcher.
5. Eliminate generic use of gendered words by using substitutes instead. For example:
   • mankind: humankind, people, humanity
   • manpower: work force, employees
   • manmade: synthetic, artificial
   • middleman: intermediary, go-between
   • chairman: chair (but do not change an official, formal title)
   • to man: to staff, to run, to operate
   • brotherhood: kinship, solidarity, collegiality, unity, etc.
   • fathering, mothering: fostering, nurturing
   • Dear sir or madam: colleague, editor, professor
6. Be sensitive about language referring to sexual orientation (not sexual preference).
   • Avoid heterosexual references, and avoid using the word homosexual.
   • Use the more inclusive LGBTQ community as appropriate.
   • When necessary, use lesbian, gay man, bisexual, transgender, queer.
   • Use transgender, not transgendered.
   • Do not use adjectives such as acknowledged, admitted, or avowed.
   • Do not use the term sex to mean gender, or the term opposite sex, which polarizes gender.