[Ads-l] Berkeley and gender neutral words

[Baker, John]

I had to take a minute to see the problem with “heirs.”  While the gendered word “heiress” does exist, that’s really more of a social term; the legal term is gender-neutral “heir.”  And “beneficiaries” does not have the identical meaning, as it does not include heirs at law (those who take without a will).  But I suppose language can change in a good cause, and lawyers will still find a way to differentiate between heirs at law and beneficiaries under a will.

I thought at first that Berkeley was being a bit behind the times, since the struggle to minimize gendered terms stretches back for decades.  But apparently the city is also trying to support nonbinary genders; hence the opposition to “pregnant woman,” which previously would have been seen as unproblematic.

I haven’t figured out yet how replacing “maiden” with “family” makes sense, or for that matter why “maiden” is in the city code.  Probably the answer to either of those questions would also answer the other.


John Baker



From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of ADSGarson O'Toole
Sent: Thursday 18 July 2019 2:44 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Berkeley and gender neutral words

Website: Fortune.com
Article: Goodbye, Manholes: Berkeley Goes Completely Gender Neutral
Author: Chris Morris
Date: July 18, 2019
https://fortune.com/2019/07/18/berkeley-gender-neutral-ordinance-terms/<https://fortune.com/2019/07/18/berkeley-gender-neutral-ordinance-terms/>

[Begin excerpt]
Berkeley, Calif. is taking gender neutral to the next level.

The city has passed an ordinance to replace terms in its municipal
codes that refer to gender with non gender-specific words. So, for
instance, a manhole will become “maintenance hole,” while a sorority
or fraternity will now be called a “collegiate Greek system
residence.”
. . .

Among the other terms getting new non-gendered replacements are:

“Bondsman” becomes “Bonds-person”
“Chairman” becomes “Chair“ or “chairperson”
“Craftsmen” becomes “Craftspeople” or “artisans”
“Fireman,” “Firewoman,” “Firemen,” and “Firewomen” become
“Firefighter” and “firefighters”
“Fraternal” is now “Social”
“Heirs” becomes “Beneficiaries”
“Journeyman” becomes “Journey”
‘Maiden” becomes “Family”
“Male” and “female” become “People of different genders”
“Manmade” becomes “Human-made,”
“Master” becomes “Captain,” “Skipper,” “Pilot,” “Safety Officer,” or “Central”
“Ombudsman” becomes “Ombuds” or “Investigating Official”
“Patrolmen” become “Patrol” or “Guards”
“Policeman,” “Policewoman,” “Policemen,“ “Policewomen” become “Police
Officer” or “Police Officers”
“Pregnant” (woman, women) become “Pregnant employees”
“Repairman” becomes “Repairs” or “Repairer”
“Salesman” becomes “Salesperson” or “Salespeople”
“Sportsman” becomes “Hunters”
“Watchmen” becomes “Guards”
[End excerpt]

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