Gender Specific Words

Gender-specific words such as “policeman” and “waitress” are problematic words to use. Utilizing gender-specific words devalue an individual’s worth, replacing the persons dignity with divisive overtures that disenfranchises impersonally where such words can become personal to an individual. Gender-specific (or any other stereotypical-specific words) words heightens unfair stigmas attached to stereotypes of gender that cause unfair assumptions. Unfair assumptions via of divisive words create factions that often have hostility embedded somewhere within two sides that need to work together in order to solve a problem. For example, police officers can find themselves in critical situations where there is no room for second thoughts based on hostility. If a male officer is solo in a shoot-out requesting back-up, a female officer might take a few extra minutes in cognition with her own stigmas, bestowed by divisiveness, of the male chauvinist who now needs her help as an equal.

As for the gender-specific of words of “waitress” and “stewardess,” I have witnessed hostile retaliation as outcomes from these words, amongst other things. One situation was in a Missouri diner when a gentleman took a booth. The gentleman seemed polite and his mannerisms in check until he referred to another server with, “who’s that ”chic?” It seemed as though the server was not bothered by it; until a few minutes later when I witnessed two of the female servers putting a special condiment of their own on the gentleman’s sandwich. There was also a Delta flight where I witnessed female flight attendants taking turns on a not-so-gentleman’s bloodymary with similar condiments, -if you know what I mean.