chair/ -man/ -woman

[Dan Goncharoff]

I believe these titles are usually listed in entity by-laws or similar
articles of incorporation.

DanG


On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 11:12 AM, Baker, John <JBAKER at stradley.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Baker, John" <JBAKER at STRADLEY.COM>
> Subject:      Re: chair/ -man/ -woman
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>        It's a word that seems to give a lot of trouble to people when it's
> applied to a woman.  In my day job, I deal with and write about the
> Securities and Exchange Commission.  The current Chairman of the SEC is
> Mary Schapiro, who, as her name may suggest, is of the feminine persuasion.
>  I always write "Chairman," because that's her legal title.  News reports,
> however, often refer to her as "Chair" or "Chairwoman."
>
>        "Chairman" does seem to have become more commonly used than when
> she first took office, though.  Maybe reporters and editors just got more
> comfortable with it, or realized it's her actual title.
>
>
> John Baker
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
> Of Jonathan Lighter
> Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 9:49 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: chair/ -man/ -woman
>
> Amy Kremer is Chairman of Tea Party Express.
>
> When she appeared on CNN this morning, Soledad O'Brien introduced her as
> "Chairman...[then dubiously] Is that  'Chairman' or 'Chairwoman'?'
> Kremer sounded nonplussed: "Either one."
>
> After the break, O'Brien reintroduced her as "ChairMAN" of the Tea Party
> Express (her emphasis).
>
> So female "chairman" is now regarded as so weird/ sexist/ Neanderthal that
> it requires not only confirmation but heavy emphasis.
>
> JL
>
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