Gender-neutral language

Gender-neutral language or gender-inclusive language is language that avoids reference towards a particular sex or gender. In English, this includes use of nouns that are not gender-specific to refer to roles or professions, formation of phrases in a coequal manner, and discontinuing the collective use of male or female terms.

For example, the words policeman and stewardess are gender-specific job titles; corresponding gender-neutral terms are police officer and flight attendant. Some terms, such as salesman, which contain the component -man but have traditionally been used to refer to persons regardless of gender, are now seen as gender-specific and discouraged in favour of terms such as salesperson. An example of forming phrases in a coequal manner would be using husband and wife instead of man and wife. Examples of discontinuing the collective use of terms in English when referring to those with unknown or indeterminate gender as singular they, and using humans, people, or humankind, instead of man or mankind.