GAD Training (SEXISM)

1. DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
CIRCULAR
N0. 01 DTD. FEBRUARY 22, 2011
USE OF NON-SEXIST LANGUAGE IN
ALL OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS,
COMMUNICATIONS AND ISSUANCES

2. PURPOSE :
In line with the government’s effort to continuously undertake
gender mainstreaming activities in the Department, on this vein we
aim to:
a. Integrate Gender and Development (GAD) perspective in
the plans and programs through the use of non-sexist language;
b. Recognize the importance of transforming language from
traditional usage to a more liberating one, that which is gender-
sensitive and gender fair.
c. Encourage teaching and non-teaching personnel to make
conscious effort to avoid implicit and explicit discriminatory language
against male and female / boys and girls;
d. Promote gender-sensitivity in the school environment
through the use of gender-fair or non-sexist language.

5. 1. Eliminate the generic use of he, his or him , unless the antecedent
is obviously male by:
A. Using plural nouns
Traditional: The soldier uses his map to guide him.
Suggested: The soldiers use their map to guide them.
B. Deleting he, his and him altogether, Reword if necessary.
Traditional : The engineer-officer uses his blueprint to guide
him.
Suggested: The engineer-officer uses a blueprint as a guide.
C. Substituting articles (a, an, the) for his; using who instead
of he.
Traditional: An officer should know his men well.
Suggested: An officer should know the men well.
D. Using one, we or you
Traditional : As one grows older, he becomes more reflective.

6. 2. Eliminate the generic use of MAN, MANKIND instead use
people, person(s), Human(s), human being(s), humankind,
humanity, the human race, men and women, we, ourselves.
Traditional: ordinary man, mankind, the brotherhood of men.
Suggested: ordinary people, humanity, human family.
3. Eliminate sexism in symbolic representations of gender in words,
sentences and texts by:
a. taking the context of the word, analyzing the meaning and
eliminating sexism in the concept.
Traditional: feelings of brotherhood, feelings of fraternity
Suggested: the feelings of kinship and solidarity
Traditional: the founding fathers
Suggested: the founders, the founding leaders
Traditional: the Father of Relativity Theory
Suggested: the Founder of Relativity Theory, the Initiator of Relativity
Theory

7. b. finding precise words to delineate the thing itself from
supposedly sex-linked characteristics
Traditional: The Titanic was a great ship, but she now rests at the
bottom of the sea.
Suggested: The Titanic was a great ship, but it now rests at the
bottom of the sea.
Traditional: Don’t let Mother Nature rip you off! She’s out to kill
your car’s new finish…Stop her.
Suggested: Don’t let Nature rip you off! It is out to kill your car’s
new finish…Stop it.

8. 3. Eliminate sexual stereotyping of roles by:
a. using the same term for both genders when it comes to
profession or employment
Traditional: salesman, stewardess
Suggested: sales agent, flight attendant
b. using gender fair terms in lexical terms
Traditional: sportsmanship
Suggested: highest ideal of fair play
c. treating women and men in parallel manner
Traditional: I now pronounce you man and wife
Suggested: I now pronounce you husband and wife
d. avoiding language that catches attention to the sex role of
women
Traditional: working mothers, spinsters/old maids, bus boys
Suggested:wage-earning mothers , unmarried women, waiter’s
assistants
e. avoiding language that enforces stereotyping messages
Traditional: a man’s job, the director’s girl Friday

9. 5. Eliminate sexism when addressing persons formally by:
a. using Ms. Instead of Mrs.
Traditional: Mrs. Dela Cruz
Suggested: Ms. Dela Cruz
b. using a married womans’ first names instead of her
husband’s
Traditional: Mrs. Juan Dela Cruz
Suggested: Ms. Maria Santos-dela Cruz
c. using the corresponding titles for females
Traditional: Dra.. Concepcion Reyes
Suggested: Dr. Concepcion Reyes
d. using the title of the job or group, in letters to unkown
persons
Traditional: Dear Sir
Suggested: Dear Editor, Dear Colleague, Dear Credit Manager

10. 5. Eliminate sexism when addressing persons formally by:
a. using Ms. Instead of Mrs.
Traditional: Mrs. Dela Cruz
Suggested: Ms. Dela Cruz
b. using a married womans’ first names instead of her
husband’s
Traditional: Mrs. Juan Dela Cruz
Suggested: Ms. Maria Santos-dela Cruz
c. using the corresponding titles for females
Traditional: Dra.. Concepcion Reyes
Suggested: Dr. Concepcion Reyes
d. using the title of the job or group, in letters to unknown
persons
Traditional: Dear Sir
Suggested: Dear Editor, Dear Colleague, Dear Credit Manager

11. 6. Other common expressions and their alternatives
Traditional Suggested
•manpower •staff, employees, personnel
workers, human resource
•draftsman •designer, artist
•fireman •firefighter, fire crew, fire brigade
•policeman •police officer
•spokesman •spokesperson
•sportsman •athlete
•statesman •political leader
•anchorman •anchorperson, anchor

12. 7. In referring to women, avoid words or phrase that seem to imply that
MEN as the NORM and WOMEN as the EXCEPTION, or
descriptions that would be irrelevant if the subject were male
e.g. In a traffic accident where one of the drivers involved was a woman, a
taxi driver commented, “She’s a woman, that’s why she drives like
that!”
8. Physical descriptions, sexist references, demeaning gender
stereotypes and condescending phrases should not be used.
e.g. One soldier to another : “ Don’t’ cry, Crying is only for
women.”
9. Do not assume maleness when both sexes are involved
Traditional: Enlisted man, enlisted woman
Suggested: Enlisted personnel