| Language and thought are reciprocal. We modify our language as our thoughts and concepts change. And, our language shapes the thought processes of our children.
There were a great many pejorative words against various ethnic groups in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the Irish, Italians, Jews, and other groups that were immigrating to the U.S. During that time prejudice against these groups was rampant. As the society changed, those words were phased out and children didn't learn to be prejudiced against those people.
Two groups that have also suffered severe discrimination have been blacks and gays. Now, the put-down words are disappearing and so is the prejudice among younger people. Older people still have their negative views, but as they die off, so do their opinions.
The bias against women is much more deeply ingrained in our language so it's more difficult to phase out those words, but it's happening - slowly.
I've seen a couple of English papers suggesting the adoption of a set of gender free pronouns to be used in place of he, his, and him when the sex of the person is unknown or unimportant.
I predict that in the next few years some of the more popular female authors will write their books with these words replacing the generic male ones. Gradually, these will be adopted, and the generic he, his, him will be phased out. Similarly, other word are or will disappear. Like Stewardess becoming Flight Attendant.
So, we should completely get rid of gender bias in, say, two hundred years.
Occam |