{"id":573,"date":"2023-09-21T18:50:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-21T18:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/chapter\/introduction-to-working-across-genders\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T05:05:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T05:05:14","slug":"introduction-to-working-across-genders","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/chapter\/introduction-to-working-across-genders\/","title":{"raw":"Learn It 13.3.1 Demographic Differences and Communication","rendered":"Learn It 13.3.1 Demographic Differences and Communication"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Understand how to use gender-neutral language in business communications<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand how people of different genders might communicate differently<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand how various disabilities may affect communication<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Understand how to improve communication between people of different ages<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>Gender Impacts Communication in the Workplace<\/h2>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>What\u2019s in a chromosome (or two)? The difference in the pair of sex chromosomes that determine whether a child is assigned female (XX) or male (XY) at birth has a significant impact on the individual\u2019s personal and professional development. It is not biology that affects our experience and expectations in the workplace (as some who would justify gender inequality would propose), but socialization, an accumulation of cultural, historical, and legal precedents that have created gender differences in our society.<\/p>\r\n<p>According to the Brookings Institution, \u201cLarge gaps remain between men and women in employment rates, the jobs they hold, the wages they earn, and their overall economic security.\u201d This is not just a women\u2019s issue. In a publication from the Hamilton Project at Brookings, the authors conclude that \u201cbarriers to workforce participation for women are stifling the growth of the U.S. economy, and that future economic success hinges on improving career prospects and working environments for all women.\u201d[footnote]Burke, Alison. \"10 facts about American women in the workforce.\" <em>Brookings<\/em>, 5 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018. https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/brookings-now\/2017\/12\/05\/10-facts-about-american-women-in-the-workforce[\/footnote]<\/p>\r\n<p>Over the years, gendered terms (for example, \u201csalesmen\u201d) have come to be interpreted more broadly as referring to all genders, but the language is not inclusive. Indeed, the concept of gender as binary\u2014that is, either female or male\u2014is outdated. As the traditional ideas of gender and gender identity evolve, language must also adapt.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Using Gender Neutral Language<\/h2>\r\n<p>The use of gender-neutral language is now considered standard practice, incorporated in the American Psychological Association (APA) and other style guides that are the linguistic references for journalists, academics, and students.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox linkToLearning\">You can access information about <a href=\"https:\/\/apastyle.apa.org\/style-grammar-guidelines\/bias-free-language\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bias-free language from APA<\/a>\u00a0and how to appropriately represent people in your writing, including sections on Disabilities, Race &amp; Ethnicity, and Sex and Gender.<\/section>\r\n<p>To achieve a more gender-inclusive end, <a href=\"https:\/\/writingcenter.unc.edu\/tips-and-tools\/gender-inclusive-language\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/a> recommends focusing on three areas: gendered nouns, titles and names, and pronouns. Consider the following recommendations and examples:<\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Replace gendered nouns with more neutral language.<\/strong> This can be challenging, in particular when there is an established expectation or association. In updating the Star Trek franchise, writers replaced the \u201cwhere no man has gone before\u201d tagline with the more inclusive \u201cwhere no one has gone before,\u201d retaining both the rhythm and promise of the iconic phrase.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Choose equitable titles and names.<\/strong> To illustrate, use Ms. or another appropriate title (Professor, Dr., etc.) that doesn\u2019t define a woman in terms of her relationship with a man. In both written and verbal contexts, give a woman the same respect as you would a man. For example, using both a first and last name or title and last name rather than an informal first name.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Use pronouns equitably.<\/strong> As mentioned above, using masculine pronouns (\u201che,\u201d \u201chis,\u201d \u201chim\u201d) as the \u201cdefault\u201d is no longer an accepted practice. Instead, consider the following options:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Make your nouns and pronouns plural:<\/strong> This sidesteps the gender issue for your audience by making it sound as if there is more than one. For example, he or she becomes they.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Use \u201cthey\u201d as a singular pronoun:<\/strong> Although \u201cthey\u201d generally refers to a plural antecedent\u2014that is, is used as a plural pronoun\u2014it is also used as a gender-neutral pronoun.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\r\n<p>[ohm2_question height=\"500\"]14873[\/ohm2_question]<\/p>\r\n<\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Understand how to use gender-neutral language in business communications<\/li>\n<li>Understand how people of different genders might communicate differently<\/li>\n<li>Understand how various disabilities may affect communication<\/li>\n<li>Understand how to improve communication between people of different ages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h2>Gender Impacts Communication in the Workplace<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s in a chromosome (or two)? The difference in the pair of sex chromosomes that determine whether a child is assigned female (XX) or male (XY) at birth has a significant impact on the individual\u2019s personal and professional development. It is not biology that affects our experience and expectations in the workplace (as some who would justify gender inequality would propose), but socialization, an accumulation of cultural, historical, and legal precedents that have created gender differences in our society.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Brookings Institution, \u201cLarge gaps remain between men and women in employment rates, the jobs they hold, the wages they earn, and their overall economic security.\u201d This is not just a women\u2019s issue. In a publication from the Hamilton Project at Brookings, the authors conclude that \u201cbarriers to workforce participation for women are stifling the growth of the U.S. economy, and that future economic success hinges on improving career prospects and working environments for all women.\u201d<a class=\"footnote\" title=\"Burke, Alison. &quot;10 facts about American women in the workforce.&quot; Brookings, 5 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018. https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/brookings-now\/2017\/12\/05\/10-facts-about-american-women-in-the-workforce\" id=\"return-footnote-573-1\" href=\"#footnote-573-1\" aria-label=\"Footnote 1\"><sup class=\"footnote\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over the years, gendered terms (for example, \u201csalesmen\u201d) have come to be interpreted more broadly as referring to all genders, but the language is not inclusive. Indeed, the concept of gender as binary\u2014that is, either female or male\u2014is outdated. As the traditional ideas of gender and gender identity evolve, language must also adapt.<\/p>\n<h2>Using Gender Neutral Language<\/h2>\n<p>The use of gender-neutral language is now considered standard practice, incorporated in the American Psychological Association (APA) and other style guides that are the linguistic references for journalists, academics, and students.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox linkToLearning\">You can access information about <a href=\"https:\/\/apastyle.apa.org\/style-grammar-guidelines\/bias-free-language\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bias-free language from APA<\/a>\u00a0and how to appropriately represent people in your writing, including sections on Disabilities, Race &amp; Ethnicity, and Sex and Gender.<\/section>\n<p>To achieve a more gender-inclusive end, <a href=\"https:\/\/writingcenter.unc.edu\/tips-and-tools\/gender-inclusive-language\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<\/a> recommends focusing on three areas: gendered nouns, titles and names, and pronouns. Consider the following recommendations and examples:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Replace gendered nouns with more neutral language.<\/strong> This can be challenging, in particular when there is an established expectation or association. In updating the Star Trek franchise, writers replaced the \u201cwhere no man has gone before\u201d tagline with the more inclusive \u201cwhere no one has gone before,\u201d retaining both the rhythm and promise of the iconic phrase.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Choose equitable titles and names.<\/strong> To illustrate, use Ms. or another appropriate title (Professor, Dr., etc.) that doesn\u2019t define a woman in terms of her relationship with a man. In both written and verbal contexts, give a woman the same respect as you would a man. For example, using both a first and last name or title and last name rather than an informal first name.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Use pronouns equitably.<\/strong> As mentioned above, using masculine pronouns (\u201che,\u201d \u201chis,\u201d \u201chim\u201d) as the \u201cdefault\u201d is no longer an accepted practice. Instead, consider the following options:\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Make your nouns and pronouns plural:<\/strong> This sidesteps the gender issue for your audience by making it sound as if there is more than one. For example, he or she becomes they.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Use \u201cthey\u201d as a singular pronoun:<\/strong> Although \u201cthey\u201d generally refers to a plural antecedent\u2014that is, is used as a plural pronoun\u2014it is also used as a gender-neutral pronoun.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"ohm14873\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/ohm.one.lumenlearning.com\/multiembedq.php?id=14873&theme=lumen&iframe_resize_id=ohm14873&source=tnh&show_question_numbers\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<\/section>\n<hr class=\"before-footnotes clear\" \/><div class=\"footnotes\"><ol><li id=\"footnote-573-1\">Burke, Alison. \"10 facts about American women in the workforce.\" <em>Brookings<\/em>, 5 Dec 2017. Web. 26 June 2018. https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/blog\/brookings-now\/2017\/12\/05\/10-facts-about-american-women-in-the-workforce <a href=\"#return-footnote-573-1\" class=\"return-footnote\" aria-label=\"Return to footnote 1\">&crarr;<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/div>","protected":false},"author":9,"menu_order":13,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Introduction to Working Across Genders; Using Gender Neutral Language\",\"author\":\"Nina Burokas\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Rainbow DNA\",\"author\":\"gagnonm1993\",\"organization\":\"Pixabay\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/en\/dna-science-medical-rainbow-2358911\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc0\",\"license_terms\":\"\"}]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":561,"module-header":"learn_it","content_attributions":[{"type":"original","description":"Introduction to Working Across Genders; Using Gender Neutral Language","author":"Nina Burokas","organization":"Lumen Learning","url":"","project":"","license":"cc-by","license_terms":""},{"type":"cc","description":"Rainbow DNA","author":"gagnonm1993","organization":"Pixabay","url":"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/en\/dna-science-medical-rainbow-2358911\/","project":"","license":"cc0","license_terms":""}],"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":null,"cc_video_embed_content":{"cc_scripts":"","media_targets":[]},"try_it_collection":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/573"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5160,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/573\/revisions\/5160"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/561"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/573\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=573"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=573"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/businesscommunication\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}