“Sex is biologically determined at birth, while gender is a social construct” – Dr. Alexandra Sherlock
In English, the terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, but they both have different meanings in reality.
Sex refers to the biological sex assigned to a person at the time of birth. On the other hand, gender is the role assigned to a person by the society that they live in on the basis of their biological sex.
In other words, gender refers to a certain type of behavior, attributes, or activities that are considered appropriate for men and women within a given society during a specific time period.
But not all people choose to conform to the societal laws of gender construction …
How to be gender-inclusive?
Being gender-inclusive means respecting that every individual, male or female, is born with the right to identify their gender themselves. It isn’t only about changing the way you think or what you believe, but you would also need to reevaluate your language in order to become truly gender-inclusive and welcoming towards people of all genders.
Need tips on how to be gender-inclusive with your language?
Start with avoiding using the masculine form of pronoun by default in your written and verbal communication. Also:
- Don’t use expressions that are gender-discriminatory, such as ‘he cried like a girl’, or ‘that’s a woman’s job’, etc.
- Try not to make the gender of a person visible until it becomes relevant to the communication.
- Use the “pairing” technique by adding both the feminine and masculine pronouns when addressing people in a formal manner in order to sound more inclusive. Use this strategy only when you want to make people of both masculine and feminine genders visible.
This is a “new” concept for many. There is much to learn and change in families, workplaces, educational institutions and amongst friends. Together, with open minds and kind hearts, we can do it.
The world needs more love! ♥