Comrades! Correct Words For Correct Thinking! Think Before You Speak!

13

Keep Your Mouth Shut! [1941]

Cardiff University in Britain¹. But this is now anywhere in the Anglosphere, and the former and new socialist republics of the European continent. It’s all the same. There isn’t a single original thought out there.

Sexist Terminology² Correct ‘Comrade’ Wording
Actress Actor
Best man for the job Best person for the job
Businessman/woman Businessperson, manager, executive
Chairman/woman Chair, chairperson, convenor, head
Charwoman, cleaning lady Cleaner
Craftsman/woman Craftsperson, craft worker
Dear Sirs Dear Sir/Madam (or Madam/Sir)
Delivery man Delivery clerk, courier
Fireman Fire-fighter
Forefathers Ancestors, forebears
Foreman/woman Supervisor, head juror
Gentleman’s agreement Unwritten agreement, agreement based on trust
Girls (for adults) Women
Headmaster/mistress Head teacher
Housewife Shopper, consumer, homemaker (depends on context)
Layman Lay person
Man (verb) eg man the desk Operate, staff, work at
Man in the street, common man Average/ordinary/typical citizen/person
Man or mankind Humanity, humankind, human race, people
Man-hour Work-hour, labour time
Man-made Artificial, manufactured, synthetic
Manpower Human resources, labour force, staff, personnel, workers, workforce
Miss/Mrs Ms unless a specific preference has been stated
Poetess Poet
Policeman/woman Police Officer
Right-hand man Chief assistant
Salesman/girl/woman Sales assistant/agent/clerk/representative/staff/worker
Spokesman/woman Spokesperson, representative
Sportsmanship Fairmess, good humour, sense of fair play
Steward/ess Airline staff, flight attendant, cabin crew
Tax man Tax officer/inspector
Waitress Waiter, server
Woman doctor Doctor
Working man, working mother/wife Wage-earner/taxpayer/worker
Workman Worker/operative/trades person
Workmanlike Efficient/proficient/skilful/thorough

If you don’t care to use the correct comrade wording, there could be disciplinary punishments for dissenting students and staff. So beware, comrades! Smile! Be good to one another! Use better language for the enrichment of our culture and a progression towards our glorious word-correct future!*

* The current ‘Five-Year Plan’
¹ Telegraph, Rachael Pells; University bans phrases such as ‘mankind’ and ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in favour of gender-neutral terms
² Cardiff University; Code of Practice on using Inclusive Language

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