Should We Be Addressing Women as “Females”?
By: Alonjé Hamilton
Language is a powerful tool that we use every day to sufficiently communicate with each other. The way we choose to communicate through language signifies how we relate to each other. To be able to identify someone when they are not in our presence by using he, she, or they… or even being able to identify our loved ones by names like “dad” or “grandma” is what promotes better communication and mutual respect for another. However, everyone has a different understanding of language; therefore, some references made by others may not be in agreement with the way you use your language to address people. One question that has created controversy in our society is whether we should address women as “females” in conversation. Historically, “female” has been accepted in society as a way to address women.
An argument was made that the problem is not that women are not females, because biologically, a (cisgender) woman is a female, but being referred to as female would be a scientific reference, and referring to a woman scientifically is the derogatory way in which the word is used.. (The Problem witht Referring, Medium) By definition, the word female is defined as the sex that can bear offspring or produce eggs. Therefore, referring to women as females may suggest that you are reducing them to being identified by their reproductive abilities, which is dehumanizing. Grammatically, the word female could be used for any other animal or plant. A female dog, or maybe a female flower, which is less recognized within the human language as they are neither human nor speak human language. Also, no one casually refers to men as males. So why is it normalized to casually refer to women as females? Another observation made is that when women are referred to as females, the incentive is usually meant to offend. It is often used in conversation when criticizing or devaluing a woman (used by both men and women) (Buzzfeed). This could be a sign of passive aggression, automatically correlating the word to something negative.
The common counterargument for this is that it is grammatically accurate to refer to a woman as female (Golin). Initially, I would have thought this concept was debunked, but if I am acknowledging these words under human language, using the word female is synonymous with woman. You will also hear an argument that using “female” instead of “woman” instills leadership rather than debasing. For example, using “women doctors” instead of “female doctors” is argued to take away the meaning and power of individually identifying man versus woman. However, using “female” alone is grammatically incorrect, as it is an adjective, whereas woman is a noun. In this case, female is used to identify the noun that follows. It does sound better in context, but it does not change the fact that an adjective is used to support the description of a noun; therefore, using the adjective “female” is not accurate. This, however, does raise the question: Is “female” currently used to identify someone based on biology or by gender? Because that could possibly change the meaning of the word in grammatical usage.
Thus, the language we use plays a vital role in shaping our perceptions and relationships.
Referring to women as “females” CAN have problematic implications, including dehumanization and objectification. I believe the use of “females” to refer to women may seem innocuous, but it can have significant impact. Adopting more inclusive language, or just using “women,” is a small yet significant step in promoting gender equality. As society continues to progress, language must evolve to reflect our commitment to equality, respect, and understanding.
Work Cited
Holly. “The Problem with Referring to Women as ‘Females.’” Medium, Medium, 13 Oct. 2022, medium.com/@hollymeijohnson/the-problem-with-referring-to-women-as-females-4728f1f6c3cd.
Hanna, Devan. “Stop Using ‘Female’ When You Mean ‘Woman.’” Golin, 22 June 2021, golin.com/2021/03/31/stop-using-female-when-you-mean-woman/.
Clayton, Tracy, and Heben Nigatu. “6 Reasons You Should Stop Referring to Women as ‘Females’ Right Now.” BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed, 8 Oct. 2014, www.buzzfeed.com/tracyclayton/stop-calling-women-females.