A Study on the Use of Gender-Neutral Language and Personal Pronouns to Minimize Gender Discrimination

This study delves into how gender-neutral language is represented in English, illustrating examples from a wide array of sources including professional writings, magazines, novels, and even the Bible. Central to its inquiry is the examination of the traditional use of generic ‘he’ being gradually replaced by more inclusive alternatives like ‘he or she’ or even ‘they.’ By observing the adoption of inclusive references such as ‘they’ and the incorporation of gender-neural terminologies like ‘officer’ and ‘chairperson’ instead of gender-specific terms like ‘policeman,’ and ‘chairman’ in the books and articles written by native speakers of English, this research endeavors to emphasize a paradigm shift towards linguistic equity and representation. It also suggests practical ideas on how to incorporate the findings into the curriculum of teaching English as a foreign language.