The Bloggess Speaks
You know what bugs me? The term actress. I only say it when I don't feel like explaining to people why it's sexist, because it's one of those "givens", something that's not considered even remotely sexist by most people.
Why is it sexist, you ask? I answer. Because actor is not a gender-specific term! It's not actman. So saying actress creates gender-specificness and, therefore, inequality.
Same with waitress and comedienne and loads others. We don't say dentess or doctess or psychologess, do we? I should start being more pushy about that, to myself as well. Or else I should start saying things like doctess.
Maybe nurseman, since nurses are generally thought of as women... teachman for grade school and high school and professess for college... receptionman... and you know in Britain they still say barman and barmaid so we'll have to bring that back here... danceman and choreographess...
Oh, the possibilities!
(x-posted to carnivee)
Why is it sexist, you ask? I answer. Because actor is not a gender-specific term! It's not actman. So saying actress creates gender-specificness and, therefore, inequality.
Same with waitress and comedienne and loads others. We don't say dentess or doctess or psychologess, do we? I should start being more pushy about that, to myself as well. Or else I should start saying things like doctess.
Maybe nurseman, since nurses are generally thought of as women... teachman for grade school and high school and professess for college... receptionman... and you know in Britain they still say barman and barmaid so we'll have to bring that back here... danceman and choreographess...
Oh, the possibilities!
(x-posted to carnivee)