Re: Sexist Language Revisited

["Janice Gelb" <janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com>]

tgr -at- lanminds -dot- com wrote:
tgr -at- lanminds -dot- com wrote:
> This is probably old-hat to many people, but I have an 
> issue with sexist language in the supplement I am writing. 
> I am having trouble using a personal pronoun other than "he" 
> when referring to a trucker. I know most of them are probably 
> of the male persuasion, but there is no reason a woman 
> couldn't drive a truck (if she were so inclined). Now, the 
> wisdom of allowing a woman behind the wheel of a truck aside ;^), 

I must admit to being surprised that someone who would 
include in a question about sexist language a joke in 
reference to the hoary belief about bad female drivers 
is even concerned about use of sexist language!

> how should I refer to a trucker without repeating "the 
> trucker" each time? I thought of s/he, but it just didn't 
> look very good. Any suggestions?
> 

Very hard to answer this without actually seeing the text 
in question. If the docs are addressed to truckers, use 
"you." If a trucker is being used in a scenario or something, 
you could name the trucker and then use the relevant pronoun 
("The trucker, Daphne Smith,... She...")

-- Janice

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