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Gender bias is a term used to describe the preferential treatment cisgender men over cisgender women and those who identify as LGBTQ.
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The table below offers suggestions for using gender-neutral nouns. If you are a student using APA 7th edition, the APA Style Manual offers detailed guidelines on Bias-Free language This link opens in a new window, including for writing about gender This link opens in a new window and sexual orientation This link opens in a new window.
| Gendered noun | Gender-neutral noun |
|---|---|
| man | person, individual |
| mankind | humankind, people, human beings, humanity |
| freshman | first-year student |
| man-made | machine-made, synthetic, artificial |
| the common man | the average person |
| chairman | chair, chairperson, coordinator, head |
| mailman | mail carrier, letter carrier, postal worker |
| policeman | police officer |
| steward, stewardess | flight attendant |
| actor, actress | actor |
| congressman | legislator, congressional representative |
| Sir (in “Dear Sir,” etc. | Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Editor, Dear Members of the Search Committee, To Whom it May Concern |
| foreman | supervisor, superintendent |
| waiter, waitress | server |
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