Beth Behland, in her editorial April 18 said that “genderless words are plain gibberish.” She stated that we might have to kill that nasty “he” pronoun if we learn gender-inclusive language.

That’s a misunderstanding of what gender-inclusive language is. If you are talking about males, use “he.” If you are talking about males and females, don’t say “he.” “He” doesn’t convey your meaning.

If you think everybody just knows “he” means males and females, look at the research findings as reported in communication journals and texts. In research, where “man” and “he” are used in experiments, the majority of men and women assume the reference is to a male.

Only when gender-neutral or gender-inclusive terms are used, do women believe they are included. We at this university can stop using language that excludes half of us.

Beth Behland’s editorial makes it sound like the movement to use gender-inclusive language is a two-person crusade by Professor Robert Self (English) and Professor Lois Self (Communication Studies).

This is a nationwide movement that’s been going on for over a decade. Here at NIU, many of us in different academic disciplines have been urging the use of gender-inclusive terminology as a step towards moving us all—men and women—towards a just and equal society.

Look up the research Beth! Look what is happening in the nation!

Valerie Yow

Assistant Professor

History Department and Women’s Studies