It’s hardly news that women are constantly surrounded with stereotypes that are offensive. At times, these stereotypes are ‘simple words’ that end up harming how our society views women. The issue is that we hardly realize the impact that a derogatory term has – in ways that it’s casually used to describe women in general. In a much-needed and refreshing reform, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud released a handbook today called, Combating Gender Stereotypes.
This handbook is meant for the legal community with a list of incorrect words and their new correct counterparts. While it’s concerning that such words are used and tolerated in courtrooms, or in general, for that matter. But this change is something, or at least a start.
Here’s the list with the old and new terms; where old means ‘incorrect’ and new refers to the ‘correct term’:
1.
Old: Adulteress
New: Woman who has engaged in sexual relations
2.
Old: Affair
New: Relationship outside of marriage
3.
Old: Bastard
New: Non-marital child
4.
Old: Biological sex
New: Sex assigned at birth
5.
Old: Born a girl/boy
New: Assigned female/male
6.
Old: Career woman
New: Woman
7.
Old: Carnal intercourse
New: Sexual intercourse
8.
Old: Chaste woman
New: Woman
9.
Old: Child prostitue
New: Child who has been trafficked
10.
Old: Concubine/keep
New: Woman with whom a man has had romantic or sexual relations outside of marriage
11.
Old: Dutiful wife/Faithful wife/Good wife/Obedient wife
New: Wife
12.
Old: Easy virtue
New: Woman
13.
Old: Effeminate
New: Accurately describe the characteristic using a gender neutral term (example – confident, responsible)
14.
Old: Eve-teasing
New: Street sexual harassment
15.
Old: Faggot
New: Accurately describe the individual’s sexual orientation (example – homosexual, bisexual)
16.
Old: Fallen woman
New: Woman
17.
Old: Feminine hygiene products
New: Menstrual products
18.
Old: Forcible rape
New: Rape
19.
Old: Harlot
New: Woman
20.
Old: Hermaphrodite
New: Intersex
21.
Old: Hooker
New: Sex worker
22.
Old: Hormonal
New: Use a gender neutral term to describe the emotion (example – compassionate or enthusiastic)
23.
Old: Housewife
New: Homemaker
24.
Old: Indian woman/Western woman
New: Woman
25.
Old: Ladylike
New: Use a gender neural description of the behaviour or characteristic (example – amusing, assertive)
26.
Old: Layabout/Shirker
New: Unemployed
27.
Old: Marriageable age
New: A woman who has attained the legal age required to marry
28.
Old: Mistress
New: Woman with whom a man has had romantic relationships outside of marriage
29.
Old: Prostitute
New: Sex worker
30.
Old: Provider/Breadwinner
New: Employed or earning
31.
Old: Provocative clothing/dress
New: Clothing/dress
32.
Old: Ravished
New: Sexually harassed, assaulted or raped
33.
Old: Seductress
New: Woman
34.
Old: Sex change
New: Sex reassignment or gender transition
35.
Old: Slut
New: Woman
36.
Old: Spinster
New: Unmarried woman
37.
Old: Transsexual
New: Transgender
38.
Old: Transvestite
New: Cross-dresser
39.
Old: Unwed mother
New: Mother
40.
Old: Violated
New: Sexually harassed, assaulted or raped
41.
Old: Whore
New: Woman
42.
Old: Woman of loose morals
New: Woman
It’s important that we realize and notice the harm that some things can have on the society, and stop doing/saying them in the court, and beyond.