One thing I have noticed working in EAIT is that we don’t have a shared understanding of which word to use when we refer to women.
I frequently hear people (including women) say ‘ladies’ and ‘females’. I would like to make the case for saying ‘woman’ or ‘women’ in pretty much any context.
Why shouldn’t I say ‘female’?
- The words ‘female’ and ‘male’ are adjectives not nouns, so it is grammatically incorrect to say ‘a female’ or ‘a male’. Strangely we don’t tend to hear ‘a male’ or ‘males’ as often as ‘females’ (and I’m not suggesting we should). Some say that is because ‘female’ is often used in a derogatory way, while ‘male’ is not.
- Female and male also tend to be used in biological contexts, so they are associated with anatomy and the ability to bear children, and are often used when describing animals. So being called ‘females’ feels like we are being reduced to a function rather than considered as whole human beings.
- Saying ‘female’ and ‘male’ also excludes people whose gender identity doesn’t correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth, so their use is more narrow than saying ‘woman’ or ‘man’.
What about ‘ladies’?
- That word feels old-fashioned and formal, and makes me think of public toilets (am I the only one?!). It also doesn’t feel professional, and this is about the language we use in a work context.
Don’t tell me I can’t say ‘the girls on reception’ anymore?
- Please don’t. Saying ‘girls’ is infantilising unless you’re actually talking about children. I know, I know, we say ‘boys’ all the time when we’re talking about our footy team. Is that OK? I can’t speak for men on that one, but I do know that women’s sport hasn’t had the same attention (or money) that men’s sport has enjoyed, so I don’t think there is a level playing field between the two (literally).
- In a social setting, talking about going out with ‘the girls’ seems ok as long as you’re including yourself in that category, rather than talking about a group that you don’t belong to – particularly if you’re being unfavourable about them. I’d probably say ‘friends’, but either way I think it’s about respect as well as context.
- In a work setting, would you refer to the Vice Chancellor as a girl? Probably not, because we are accustomed to being respectful to people in senior positions. So should we extend that respect to women in other roles as well? (hint: yes)
Isn’t ‘woman academic’ grammatically incorrect as well?
- Some say yes, but in my view it’s not as bad as using an adjective without a noun. Also see above re wanting to include those who identify as women rather than focusing on their biology. This is where language needs to evolve.
Here are some articles that show I am not the only person interested in these particular word choices:
- The debate Between woman versus female, Washburn Review, 2023
- Woman vs Female. Yes, it matters, Medium, 2021
- Stop Using “Female” When You Mean “Woman”, Golin, 2021
- Female Trouble: The Debate Over “Woman” as an Adjective, The New Yorker, 2019
- How to be Inclusive and Grammatically Correct, Media Diversity Institute, 2019
- Language: Woman vs Female, New York Times, 2007
Words matter, but it isn’t always easy to change our habits when we say words without thinking. So I am asking you to think about saying ‘women’ in every situation where you otherwise might say ‘females’ or ‘ladies’. Try it on for size!