by: Saira Bhagat
How many times have rumors altered your perception of someone you have never met? Language plays a crucial role in shaping our perception of the world, and historically, “gendered vocabulary” has been a prevalent factor in reinforcing sexist societal stereotypes.
In an interview, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift said, “there’s a different vocabulary for men and women in the music industry.” She elaborated, “when a man does something, it’s strategic and if a woman does something, it’s considered to be calculated.”
The division of descriptive words in society has been based on outdated societal constructs for centuries. The words strength, power, and leadership were deemed masculine, while words indicating beauty, emotions, and nurturing were considered feminine. These categorizations continue to reinforce common gender stereotypes today and have a serious impact on limiting opportunities for women.
A study by Harvard Business Review analyzed a large-scale dataset from military performance evaluations (over 4,000 participants and 81,000 evaluations) to determine if the language used to describe women and men in leadership roles varied based on gender. The study found that, despite similar objective performances, while both men and women received a similar amount of positive attributes, women were described with significantly more negative attributes. In addition, the vocabulary used between genders differed greatly. Women were most often described as “compassionate” or “inept,” while men were described as “analytical” or “arrogant.”
The use of gendered language, especially in performance evaluations, can have an impact on hiring, promotions, compensation, and retention decisions. The study by Harvard Business Review highlights how women encounter a “double bind,” where the feedback they receive is not objective and can lead to negative perceptions.
Gendered vocabulary is a challenge women in every industry continue to face. Often, the impact of this language is that women are not seen as “real leaders” with traits such as compassion used to describe them. Therefore, the bias in the vocabulary used for women versus for men has a significant impact on diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Since the words we use everyday can shape the narratives of gender equality, it is long overdue for us to work towards addressing these biases and evolving our language to ensure equal opportunities and fair recognition of leadership qualities, regardless of gender.
Sources:
Sanchala, Vibhuti. “Taylor Swift Opens Up on Sexism; Says ‘Showbiz Has a Different Vocabulary for Men & Women.’” Republic World, 13 Dec. 2020, http://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/music/taylor-swift-opens-up -on-sexism-says-showbiz-has-a-different-vocabulary-for-men-and-women .html.
Smith, David G., et al. “The Different Words We Use to Describe Male and Female Leaders.” Harvard Business Review, 20 Jan. 2021, hbr.org/2018/05/the-different-words-we-use-to-describe-male-and- female-leaders.
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