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Teaching Gender As A Core Value In The Legal-Writing Classroom, Leslie Rose

Publications

The consistent use of male-gendered generics to represent all people can have a psychological impact on women by making them feel excluded and by reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes-even when that effect is not intended. Social science research demonstrates that language is a social force that can have an impact on how women view themselves and are viewed by others.

Most modem legal writing texts and style manuals recommend that writers use gender-neutral language, which is achieved by avoiding the use of gendered generics (the use of male or female nouns and pronouns to refer to both men and women). For …