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Is there a particular reason why it's women in Congress who make you skeptical? Is there some context I'm missing here?

ericmay 6y ago
I just try to use the terms interchangeably in hypothetical scenarios so that there isn't a sense of normal association. Sometimes I use Congressman, sometimes Congresswoman. Sometimes I use Congressperson as well. I think if people are noticing then that's a clear sign to keep doing it, because you probably had a prior bias that the person doing something wrong would have been a man.
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  “Congressmember” in the generic and “Representative” and “Senator” for the specific houses are widely accepted (standard and formally preferred for the house-specific ones) and gender neutral.
  - ericmay 6y ago
    Yes, thank you for that. I'm specifically not using gender-neutral terms in this instance, actually. The goal is to muddy the associations that exist and unfortunately gender-neutral terms are unable to do that. They definitely have a time and place for use, though, and I do use them when I think it makes sense to.
    - edmundsauto 6y ago
      Interesting approach, but what it reads like is that you are intentionally gendering the term for some purpose. I was trying to figure out if you meant Senator Warren specifically, because she has been behind a lot of this discussion. You might be confusing your audience more than you are accomplishing your other objective.
      - ericmay 6y ago
        Hey thanks for the feedback. Yea you're right that I was intentionally gendering the term here. My goal was to have someone notice that I used Congresswoman in a negative context. But I definitely appreciate your comment here and it's something I'll continue to evaluate. On one hand it's shouting into the void. On the other... well... it's probably still shouting into the void.
        sarah180 6y ago
        On the third hand, you’re deliberately using sexist language to … secretly fight sexism? I think a continued evaluation is indeed in order.
        ericmay 6y ago
        Hmmm. Could you specify what sexist language I’m using? That’s quite the accusation.
        sarah180 6y ago
        > I was intentionally gendering the term here. My goal was to have someone notice that I used Congresswoman in a negative context.
  - zozbot234 6y ago
    The proper generic term is obviously "Congresscritter".

I just try to use the terms interchangeably in hypothetical scenarios so that there isn't a sense of normal association. Sometimes I use Congressman, sometimes Congresswoman. Sometimes I use Congressperson as well. I think if people are noticing then that's a clear sign to keep doing it, because you probably had a prior bias that the person doing something wrong would have been a man.

dragonwriter 6y ago
“Congressmember” in the generic and “Representative” and “Senator” for the specific houses are widely accepted (standard and formally preferred for the house-specific ones) and gender neutral.
- ericmay 6y ago
  Yes, thank you for that. I'm specifically not using gender-neutral terms in this instance, actually. The goal is to muddy the associations that exist and unfortunately gender-neutral terms are unable to do that. They definitely have a time and place for use, though, and I do use them when I think it makes sense to.
  - edmundsauto 6y ago
    Interesting approach, but what it reads like is that you are intentionally gendering the term for some purpose. I was trying to figure out if you meant Senator Warren specifically, because she has been behind a lot of this discussion. You might be confusing your audience more than you are accomplishing your other objective.
    - ericmay 6y ago
      Hey thanks for the feedback. Yea you're right that I was intentionally gendering the term here. My goal was to have someone notice that I used Congresswoman in a negative context. But I definitely appreciate your comment here and it's something I'll continue to evaluate. On one hand it's shouting into the void. On the other... well... it's probably still shouting into the void.
      - sarah180 6y ago
        On the third hand, you’re deliberately using sexist language to … secretly fight sexism? I think a continued evaluation is indeed in order.
        ericmay 6y ago
        Hmmm. Could you specify what sexist language I’m using? That’s quite the accusation.
        sarah180 6y ago
        > I was intentionally gendering the term here. My goal was to have someone notice that I used Congresswoman in a negative context.
- zozbot234 6y ago
  The proper generic term is obviously "Congresscritter".