62 thoughts on “900+ Gender-Neutral Terms: A Word List for Writers”

1. Many comments have digressed far from the topic of a word list for writers who wish to remove indelicate gender references from their writing. Before I close the comments, I’ll leave this. I may miss some points, but here goes.

   ***

   One disputed topic is climate change.

   • Where I live, the summer of 2022 recorded the longest, hottest heat spell in recorded history, killing hundreds of people.
   • I live close to the mountains, and can tell you from first-hand observation that glaciers are receding at the rate of several yards (meters) per year.
   • Average winter temperatures have increased more than 3° F over the last few decades.
   • Friends on the east coast have taken photos of gigantic icebergs that originated in Greenland or the Canadian Arctic. With current warming, those icebergs will never be replaced, and the melting ice is causing an increase in sea level.
   • For the first time in recorded history, the Northwest Passage through the Arctic is no longer frozen.

   Global warming and its effect on world weather patterns is real, not a hoax. The world is becoming hotter every year.

   I prefer to believe my own eyes (and sweat) – and the combined research of the majority of scientists – rather than internet speculators who don’t have science degrees.

   ***

   Someone mentioned that “author,” “poet,” and “actor” are male words. Let’s look at the definitions:

   • author: a writer of a book, article, or report (nothing indicates that the word refers to males)
   • poet: a person who writes poems (ditto)
   • actor: a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in movies, or on television (ditto again)

   ***

   The word “human” refers to males.

   • human: a bipedal primate mammal (Homo sapiens)
   • Homo sapiens: from the Latin, meaning “wise man” or “knowing man”

   Let’s look at another definition:

   • guy: a man

   ***

   Not every word that contains “man” refers to gender

   • manage: to be in charge of (a company, establishment, or undertaking); administer; run
   • manhandle: to move (a heavy object) by hand with great effort; handle (someone) roughly by dragging or pushing

   ***

   “Christian name” – my mistake. I’ll edit the post.

   ***

   Editing an author’s work after it has been published, as they did with Roald Dahl and other authors, is destructive. Books shouldn’t be revised to reflect modern values. We need to see and understand the past in order to establish a better future.

2. I’m adding this and changing the date so that it stays near the top of all comments.

   Nowhere in this post:
   • will you find anything except two genders mentioned or implied
   • will you find gender reassignment mentioned or implied
   • will you see references to those who may be confused about their gender
   • will you find “wokeness” implied or mentioned

   However, in this world where many people (not just men) still consider women as possessions who are allowed to do nothing except bear children, it is indelicate to refer to a crowd containing both men and women as “guys” or a homemaker as a “housewife.” A person’s personality and purpose should be more important than gender.

   By the way, today, March 8, 2023, is International Women’s Day.

   • Kathy ~

     Gender does matter! And being “politically correct” is allowing a small loud, arrogant, group of liberals to dictate how we speak, write and think. It’s a group who are obsessed with CONTROL and POWER.

     I was born female. I am a woman, a lady, very feminine and I am not going to be classified as genderless. That offends me!

     What if a man (or woman) has a fin surgically attached to their back and their teeth filed to sharp points, and calls himself a “shark,” are normal people expected to refer to him as a shark, just to go along and get along? Or is he (or she) a human. And should be referred to as a human.

     What does his personality or purpose have to do with anything? Nothing, because it is NOT NORMAL.

     That’s my opinion and I’m not going to be intimidated into believing gender doesn’t matter in the grand scheme. I will continue to write about women and men as women and men, girls and boys as girls and boys.

     This “woke” culture goes against Nature and Nature’s laws. Smart people stand up for what is morally and ethically right. And that includes gender.

     • That’s a pretty stupid reply.

       Ultimately, all gender terms are just words, the standard ones having become embedded in various cultures. No one is saying YOU have to adopt them or that people shouldn’t address you by the terms you prefer (I’m happy with the conventional ones too), but using those that people prefer is simply considerate.

       And on the other mentioned subject, if woke is being aware of climate change, racism, greed and all the other nastiness going on in the world, then hell yes, I’m woke. If you don’t understand that, then I truly feel sorry for you because you’re part of the problem, not the solution.

       • James, I worked in politics for 12 years and also did investigations on people in high places, after retiring from nursing, so I know EXACTLY what is going on and who is behind it.

         I could educate you on the hoax known as “Climate Change” and that Marxism is behind encouraging blacks to play the “race card” to keep racism going, and much more, but I’m busy and realize that anyone who considers themselves “woke” is probably not going to listen to logic or factual evidence.
         ~ Caroline

         • Just popped in to wish you success and joy with your enterprise and to express my regret that so few people seem to appreciate the all-encompassing Agenda that is being imposed upon us.
           I have to remind myself that the best revenge is happiness which I wish for you!

           • Thank you, Zarayna ~ Happiness to you as well. You are clearly very bright and aware of what is actually going on, behind the scenes on the Global Stage.

             We need to stand up to the egregious Agenda and those behind it. To remain silent and weak and compliant is to lose our freedoms. The mandates behind the recent “virus” were just the beginning…a test.

             Take care!

         • Lovely to see an ‘awake’ person, you get worried that you’re the only one! I wish you all the best Caroline in your pursuit of your dreams. Take Care, Chrissy

         • James, I worked in politics for 12 years and also did investigations on people in high places, after retiring from nursing, so I know EXACTLY what is going on and who is behind it.

           While I despise politicians, I doubt you could educate me on anything of any real importance, rather the opposite since you appear to be just another conspiracy wingnut.

           Despite scientific and academic consensus on climate change (it is real and it is human caused) there remain those who (through ignorance, agenda or plain stupidity) claim climate change is a hoax. I note you provided no evidence to support your claim that climate change is a hoax, so I will simply consider it baseless and offer, instead, the main reasons that we cannot consider climate change a hoax.

           The evidence supporting human caused damage to our climate is persuasive (at least to anyone of rational mind) and includes increased levels of carbon dioxide, methane and deforestation which have led to the following effects:

           * Temperature: Average temperatures have been rising since records began (late 1800s), approximately one degree with most of that being since the mid-1980s and the highest in the last decade which runs roughly parallel to massively increased, human produced, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
           * Ocean Temperature: The seas are several degrees warmer and more acidic than they used to be due, again, to human produced atmospheric CO2 with sea levels rising an average of eight inches. There is evidence an ocean circulation collapse may have started and some very temperature sensitive creatures (coral reefs being the prime example) dying off. Life on Earth is a massively interconnected web and the death of such creatures, while perhaps seeming unimportant, end up having massive knock-on effects.
           * Ice Caps: These have decreased massively in size and mass, with ice pack migration severely reduced. The rate of ice loss from the Antarctic has tripled in the last decade and virtually all glaciers are retreating globally. Snow measurements show a decrease and snow is melting far earlier with areas previously known for under permafrost no longer being so while the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice has decreased over the last decades.
           * Extreme Events: Hurricanes (requiring higher temperatures to start) are becoming far stronger and prevalent in the Atlantic, which is not the case historically, and they have recorded increased rainfall as low temperature events decline.

           There has been a severe impact on migratory species, resulting in further reaching effects on the food chain. Some species of crab and fish are penetrating Antarctic waters, threatening established species, because of the warming seas.

           The evidence clearly points to an Earth that has been warming for the past fifty years, temperatures that are affecting the planet’s sensitive ecosystem in ways that are quite unexpected.

           Of course, the planet itself isn’t in danger, humanity is. We’ll get wiped out through our own stupidity and selfishness and the planet will just move on with some other species arising to take the place of the dumb apes that were once its dominant species.

           And you know what? When people like you say dumb @&$# like “climate change is a hoax”, I say about time because humanity is looking very much like a plague right now.

           So no, you really, really can’t “educate” me on the hoax known as “Climate Change” because it isn’t one and your claim on Marxism and race sounds equally stupid. My money’s on your being religious, thinking the world is flat and that the moon landings were a hoax!

           • James, this is in response to your insult that I’m an other conspiracy wingnut.

             Remember when sleazy Democrat Al Gore, former U.S Vice President, terrified millions that in TEN YEARS, the world as we know it would be destroyed due to what he termed Global Warming? He fortified his claims with photos of a polar bear on a small iceberg and used a computer model of warming temperatures at the North Pole.

             But the world COOLED. And that was 30 years ago! Gore’s prediction of ten years proved to be wildly exaggerated. Documents show that John Coleman, founder of the Weather Channel and 30,000 climate and weather experts threatened to SUE Al Gore because they found his photos and computer claims to be completely FALSE!

             Because the climate cooled, the radicals behind the hoax changed the terminology to “Climate Change” to cover anything Nature did, including warming, cooling, increased natural disasters, etc.

             When climate experts said Climate Change was ridiculous based on their expertise, the radicals THREATENED THEM with losing their jobs OR funds for research projects. The radicals FORCED a great many climate experts to a consensus that climate change was real, or else!

             Radicals moved the goalpost with their fake time limits when earth would be destroyed, and blamed it on humans using fossil fuel, etc.

             Their goal was and is to CONTROL energy use and to increase TAXES on energy use.

             They used creepy Swedish teenager Greta Thornberg, the daughter of two actors, to memorize their talking points and rant in the media, using the new term “Climate Crisis!” Fear tactics and fake science continue the same egregious agenda, to create a sense of fear and sense of urgency, the same tactics used by all sleazy salesmen to close the negotiations.

             The truth is, a volcanic eruption anywhere in the world can warm the ocean and cause changes in the atmosphere. No one can control Nature.

             Yes, I am a Christian and, No, I am not stupid. Of course the earth is a globe (not flat), and Yes, I know the moon landing was real and I have an autographed photo in my home office, signed by astronaut Ron Evans, whom I met and interviewed in1983, who was on the Apollo 17 mission.

             You admit elsewhere that you are an atheist and “woke” so you’ve convinced yourself you know everything, and those of us who are older and wiser and more experienced are stupid. Well, you gave me reasons to smile because it’s obvious you “drank the radical liberal’s kool-aid.”

             Sad, really. You’re in for a huge surprise, sooner than later. God has a way of revealing all lies and the Global Elites are being EXPOSED for their crimes and corruption against humanity.

             • Caroline have you ever noticed that when its hot outside they use the term ‘global warming’ and when its cold, they switch to “climate change’ This always amuses me.

               • Good morning CBest, yes, you are right. And for the past 30 years the radical liberals have set a number of years that they claim the world will be destroyed due to the climate changes. Recently, the arrogant Democrat in Congress known as AOC, insists that the world will self-destruct in 13 years. They just can’t seem to agree on how many years it will take. HAHAHA!

                 I meant to also remind James in my message earlier that when Al Gore insisted on Global Warming melting the North Pole, that the South Pole was so clogged with new ice that huge ships were caught and staff had to be rescued.

                 The point is, some people are extremely gullible and believe anything in the mainstream media.

           • James, it saddens me that you are unwilling to open your mind and consider that you have been lied to. WE have all been lied to by those so called people in charge. I was once like you, but I don’t like to be told that I should only listen to one side of an argument, so I go and research, speak to others and make an informed decision. And these days I say what is the different between a conspiracy theorist and main-stream media – answer – six months to a year! lol.. but amusement aside, if you are willing to listen to a different point of view with evidence based facts (and I’m not talking wiki) then I’m very willing to supply that information, just reply to this and I will give you many links for you to consider, regards Christine

             • Christine, good comment!

               Not all of us are brainwashed by the mainstream media that is controlled by the liberal agenda and does the bidding of the Global Elites that are determined to CONTROL us and every aspect of our daily lives. They don’t care about truth. They want POWER and will do whatever it takes to achieve their agenda.

               Take care. Caroline

             • I don’t particularly care about US politicians however I have seen Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and he was right as evidenced by the number of days over 50 degrees C that have doubled in the past forty years which suggests your ignorant scepticism is simply wrong; the world DID NOT cool.

               For the terminally stupid, I’m going to repeat that there is scientific and academic consensus that the world is warming up (climate change) and that warming is caused by human activity. My source for this is NASA where there are 18 thousand scientists all working on problems related to astronomy, spaceflight and climate change and many directly observing the Earth and seeing the results of human activity. However it doesn’t, as the word “consensus” implies, stop there … almost all scientists worldwide agree that climate change is real and is human caused.

               You mention Greta Thunberg who (for your information) is on the autistic spectrum. However, as anyone with relevant experience in the field will know (my wife being one such person and you clearly not), autistics simply need the right tools and support to be every bit as able as you or I (and often much better). As far as I can tell, you’re just parroting that idiot Trump’s ridiculous (and vicious) attempts to undermine and dismiss her and the global movement she has inspired. As I can tell, he did that for two reasons:
               * As a pathetically weak attempt to disparage the climate change protest movement. I believe climate change protest carries a good message and that she (at least) has succeeded in her aim to get people talking about the issue.
               * That he was irritated that she opposed and hopelessly outclassed him. Trump is a small-minded man with sociopathic tendencies; an orange, piggy-faced, squinty-eyed, bloviating fuckwit who cares not one whit about the little people in his country. His idiot supporters have bought into his lies willingly and easily.

               Already figured you’re a Christian but even by religious standards you’re not very smart. You clearly lack any form of critical thinking ability and frankly how you ever got to be a nurse is beyond me.

               No, I’m a science graduate, science adherent and science defender. I am FULLY AWARE I do not know everything. Like science I do not do absolutes … well… possibly when it comes to people like you but hey, you’re the one advancing baseless claims.

               I am extremely open-minded but, as I am frequently wont to say, my mind being open doesn’t give you or anyone else the right or expectation to be able to pour your cr## into in.

               The choice is stark but simple … accept the view of 8.8 million scientists worldwide almost all of whom accept climate change is real and human-caused or the view of a Facebook persuaded simpleton, an okie from the skogie. Sorry (not sorry), but the choice really isn’t a hard one.

               I mean honestly, you believe there’s a man in the sky living in a heaven where all the righteous people are gonna go when they die … on the basis of what? A book written by technological simpletons a couple of thousand years back!

           • Hello James,
             This is all rather exciting. Fresh new thoughts coming in, and novel avenues to explore.
             I must be one of those irrational fundamentalists who deny the science and therefore look at all issues from different angles and viewpoints and sometimes get things completely wrong.
             I believe the need to frighten the public into compliance with a self-destructive agenda was first mooted at the Club of Rome in the 1970s. But the public resisted, so another topic of terrifying us had to be created. The 1970s was an interesting time as in 1971; we came off the gold standard replacing it with nothing but the integrity of the money men! Now we have been asset stripped, stolen from, deceived, and await a precipitous fall.
             What even the most naïve of us learned during the last three years is that you can buy whatever science you need to market your product or belief system. Coercion and bribery have been deployed over decades. Which of us could resist such pressure?
             Distinguishing truth from falseness is a perennial problem for all of us and is usually a lifelong quest. Unfortunately, the powerful tend to control all avenues of communication, institutions and influential personnel. Thinking of ways around such possible obstacles, I’m thinking that if you want to know how a company is doing, it’s best to investigate what holdings the directors have – far more reliable than believing in the contents of the marketing brochure.
             As a shortcut, please consider, for instance, the WEF’s annual meetings at Davos. This is where the world’s powerful dictate to the mere billionaires what to instruct the millionaires to practice in their companies and countries. These worthies arrive in fuel-hungry jets, live in properties at the world’s most glamorous locations (often by the sea – so rising oceans don’t seem to bother them) and lecture us on abandoning cars in favour of cycles, imprison ourselves in ‘smart’ (prison) cities and, worst of all, regard humanity as a blight upon the world.
             I offer below two items for your consideration. It is a great misfortune that Rosa Koire died a few years ago, but her essay on Agenda 21, although old and superseded by Agenda 30, is still most valuable.
             I wish you well, James. You seem to have the enthusiasm to explore, so that’s all good.
             “UN official at WEF: we own the science & we think that the world should know it…”
             https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/10/01/un-official-at-wef-we-own-the-science-we-think-that-the-world-should-know-it-so-we-partnered-with-google-to-ensure-only-un-climate-results-appear%EF%BF%BC/

             “BEHIND THE GREEN MASK U. N. Agenda 21,” Rosa Koire.
             https://archive.org/details/behind-the-green-mask-u.-n.-agenda-21

             • The WEF recognise human-caused climate change and have been trying to come to agreements to prevent it. What’s your point?

               • Obviously, I haven’t expressed myself clearly enough. I’m sorry.
                 Of course the WEF recognise ‘human caused climate change.’
                 If you have to ask what my point is, I am afraid you may not be ready to understand the answer.

                 • TBH, given that you’re clearly a fundy, I couldn’t be arsed to read your reply.

                   I’d I’ve misjudged you then perhaps an apology is due but I’ll wait to see if that’s the case.

                   • I’ve no idea what a ‘fundy’ is or what it means.
                     Thus, I am unable to help you.
                     In addition, I don’t find your defensiveness warranted or attractive.
                     So, I think it best that I leave you with the comfort of your belief system and my wishes that it serves you well.

                   • Fundamentalist! Is it really that hard?

                   • James.
                     All of your remarks tell us more about you than the person or topic you are addressing.

             • Zarayna ~

               You are a breath of fresh air! Your comment is 100% correct.

               We agree there are some extremely dangerous people in the WEF that have sinister plans to reduce our world’s population to only 500 million.

               They inscribed their goal on the Georgia (USA) Guide Stones that were recently destroyed but photographs show what they had written on them.

               And you are correct about money buying power. The Chinese Communist Party bought Joe Biden by donating $40 MILLION to his 2020 presidential campaign. Anyone who knows what the three red stripes on his political campaign signs identified, understands the connection.

               This has been an interesting two days reading people’s comments. Thanks for your input. Well done!

               ~ Caroline

               • Hello Caroline,
                 What fun!
                 Meeting new people and trying to understand their views and thus their fears, aspirations, and belief systems.
                 And it’s ongoing!
                 I wonder if Kathy could ever have imagined what her blog would blossom into. lol.
                 Thank you for your kind words – compensates for poor old, stiff upper lip, James!

                 • Hi Zarayna and Caroline, its been lovely to listen to your views and being across the pond in the UK, its lovely to hear views from other parts of the world.
                   James’s response was what I expected but everyday I’m coming across more and more people who are waking up to the real world. Best wishes to you both. Regards, Christine

                   • Hello, Christine,
                     Thank you for your kind words.
                     It is fun being part of this lively community. We live and learn.
                     Thank you, Kathy!
                     Btw, I am a Brit., living in Greater London.
                     Take care, Christine. Stay strong!

                 • Hello Zarayna ~

                   Yes, this has been an exceptionally fascinating couple of days here.

                   I can always tell what liberals are guilty of by what they blame on others. James did the PREDICTABLE by regurgitating the same old, worn-out, tired liberal narrative – by attacking President Trump, and conservatives and Christians.

                   Psychologists call it Guilt Projection because they simply can’t help telling on themselves.
                   And when they do, we know we are OVER THE TARGET!

                   James’s chest is puffed up with pride after insulting me with name-calling and profanity. That’s what weak men do, men who hate it that some women are intelligent and logical and informed.

                   He ignored the evidence I provided that Climate Change is a hoax, including that 30 years ago, U.S. media reported 30,000 climate and weather experts threatened to sue Al Gore’s false theory about Global Warming and they exposed his fake photos of a polar bear on a small iceberg as evidence of Global Warming. They exposed his fake computer-generated model that proved to be a web of lies.

                   James ignored the fact that the ONLY way there is a so-called “consensus” among climate scientists is due to the Global Elites, the radicals who THREATENED to have the climate experts FIRED or to LOSE FUNDING for their research projects. They complained about this in the U.S. media.

                   The radical Climate Change agenda was EXPOSED and DOCUMENTED, yet James prefers to bow down at the altar of creepy Al Gore.

                   And he rejects the God of the Bible. Yet, he just fulfilled Bible Prophecy that in the latter days there will be fools who say “there is no God.”

                   Not going to waste any more of my time on him.

                   Have a lovely rest of your day. I have a health newsletter to publish and send to my sponsors and donors for my nonprofit, and get back to writing one of my books about biblical archaeology.

                   Take care!

                   ~ Caroline

                   • Good work, Caroline!
                     I think I’ll let Karma do its work on the unawakened.
                     As you say, enough is enough.
                     Wishing you much success with your beneficent project – it sounds wonderful.
                     Zara.

                   • The unwakened. LOL!

                 • Don’t you worry about me, dearie. I have plenty of material to laugh at idiots like Caroline and, it seems, you.

                   What strikes me most about Caroline is that she hasn’t offered a single shred of evidence to support her claims or Marxist racism or climate change hoaxes. OTOH, I have actually explained my evidence, so…

                 • Zarayna. [in response to your earlier comment which doesn’t appear to have a REPLY button] You’d like to think so but you really don’t. What you see is my internet persona which (you’ll just have to trust me on this… SHRUG… or not… your choice) is very little like the real me 🙂

                   • Hello, James!
                     Whoever you are, whatever your persona, I am wishing you well.

                   • Zarayn, again I cannot find a [Reply] button, so I’ll simply say thanks and leave it at that.

               • While I have few doubts there are those with nefarious purpose (in other words there will always be those who care more about money and power than people), your comments simply tell me you’re a conspiracy theorist wingnut.

                 • James, you consider yourself an expert on SCIENCE FICTION, according to your bio on your website.

                   But here, you regurgitate the egregious FALSE theory about Climate Change, and the tired overdone theme of Racism.

                   You arrogantly hurl vulgar, misogynistic insults at women you don’t know. You are no gentleman.

                   You completely IGNORED the evidence I provided that proves Climate Change is based on false theories. And that thousands of scientists and climate experts were THREATENED unless they agreed to a “consensus.”

                   Then you claim I didn’t give any evidence. I named names! Gave dates!

                   And you have the audacity to mock God, and His followers, which includes me. Do you realize you’ve invited some rather painful curses into your life?

                   So, in the grand scheme of things, you failed to impress.

                   Try harder next time.

                   ~ Caroline

     • This is the right take. Anyone with a functioning frontal lobe can see that. It’s the logical reason that those who participate in woke content production have taken a wallop in sales numbers.

       Most of the NPCs responding to you are either feigning ignorance or parroting mass media talking points. They are actively participating in the destruction of basic languange skills, across NUMEROUS different languages, (Spanish being the first to come to mind after English), and therefore should be ignored. They aren’t going to be the ones buying your books anyway.

       Stand your ground and give your readers what they want. They’ll thank you for it.

     • I am exactly in the middle. I’m not woke, but I’m respectful of other people and their differences. Being different is beautiful. And as such, I will respect your opinions, whether I agree with them or not

   • Heavens above. Kathy, me and you will have to disagree – you say I won’t find ‘wokeness’ implied yet your title states how to ‘Ungenderize’ your writing and what I should consider Politically Incorrect. The left-liberal politics should have little to do with writing – esp creative writing – should my husband feel his personality is void because he and I both refer to him as a house-husband? Or should my grandma feels ashamed that she considered herself a housewife and was the backbone of our entire family? To many people are preaching. You simplify above and yet you are part of the problem.

   • Actually, I hear groups referred to as “Guys” by people of both genders, equally. “Guys” seems to be the preferred address term to replace the obsolete “Ladies and Gentlemen”.

3. To set the record straight (specifically for Ms Olson), I never once said I was “expert” in science fiction and I directly challenge her to tell me where I did, indeed to continue to claim that is disingenuous and one assumes can only be justified by “lying for Jesus”, something atheists the world over know fundamentalist Christians are famous for. My assumption is that she got it from my website where I talk of my love of science fiction (I am indeed a fan) and how it LED ME to a love of science and eventually to a very good degree in applied biology.

   It is further disingenuous of Ms Olson to claim that I did not address her claims when I specifically did so. In the thread directed at me, Ms Olson has supplied no relevant evidence of any note. Sure, she named Al Gore (who she referred to as “sleazy”) and Greta Thunberg (who she referred to as “creepy”) both claims I addressed (colour me unimpressed). Oh, and no dates either. Oh, I know she also cited John Coleman’s threats to sue Gore, but his claims are irrelevant; he wasn’t a scientist and admitted he hadn’t researched the issue and, dropping out of the American Meteorological Society, I’m guessing his views were at odds with the rest of the group. He meant nothing to me… I’m proud to not be American. That said, I’m not that proud to be British right now. Regardless, I told Ms Olson said that I had seen his film, “An Inconvenient Truth” and that he was right as evidenced by the number of days over 50 degrees C that have doubled in the past forty years which suggests your ignorant scepticism is simply wrong; the world DID NOT cool. That said, it was a long time ago I watched the film so maybe I got it wrong? However, it turns out I have a subscription to Paramount Plus and guess what? Yep! “An Inconvenient Truth” is one film available, so I watched it again and it’s every bit as relevant today as it was then. What’s more, there is nowhere in the film where Gore claims the world as we know it will be destroyed in ten years! Which suggests Ms Olson hasn’t even watched the film (and its supposed claims) that she is so critical of.

   On Ms Thunberg, I mentioned she was on the autistic spectrum (attacking her as being “creepy” is, frankly, obscene) and that, as far as I could tell, she was simply parroting that idiot Trump’s ridiculous (and vicious) attempts to undermine and dismiss Ms Thunberg and the global movement she had inspired noting that he probably did so as a pathetic attempt to dismiss the movement and because it irritated him that she hopelessly outclassed him. I further gave my personal opinion of the orange, piggy-faced, squinty-eyed, bloviated moron who clearly cared not one whit about the little people in his country.

   Compiling her disingenuousness, Ms Olson claimed I was regurgitating the “overdone theme of racism” when, in fact, I hardly mentioned it, my primary statement being, “if woke is being aware of climate change, racism, greed and all the other nastiness going on in the world, then hell yes, I’m woke.”

   The rest of her claims are baseless against the consensus of the world’s nearly nine million scientists, amongst associate academia and prominent relevant bodies. If, in fact, climate change is a hoax (it isn’t), they have orchestrated it on a scale heretofore unknown and it would involve the cooperation and corruption of the finest and most highly educated minds in the world. It is also rather amusing to note that MS Olson is using a device that transmits inordinate amounts of complex information thousands and thousands of miles across the world, often via antennas and satellites, to convey to others that she doesn’t trust science (the same science that built that device and shows climate change). Now that is pure irony!

   Despite Ms Olson’s claims, I wasn’t misogynistic, but she is correct that I am no gentleman. I take no prisoners and if someone says something as stupidly ignorant as she has, I point it out using the facts; facts which, incidentally, she has failed to address at any point. Unfortunately, such stupidity (more like wilful ignorance) is red rag to a bull. Ms Olson has not once addressed the points I made about increases in atmospheric and ocean temperature, the shrinking ice caps and permafrost or the increase in other extreme events noted by NASA and others.

   On “The Race Card”, I am forced to wonder if any Ms Olson thinks that without Marx, no black person would have ever noticed that “race” played a role in history, particularly American slavery and segregation.

   As for Ms Olson’s god, OF COURSE I have the “audacity” to insult it, just as I would any other ridiculous fictional character that someone claimed was real. I’m an atheist and I don’t believe in (or accept as in any way valid) her god or any other. Only a complete dimwit would believe I’d be concerned about supposed curses or woo-woo rubbish she might consider headed in my direction. Perhaps I might feel different if someone were to provide a shred of validatable evidence but, to date, the best theological minds in the world (a pretty low bar) have failed to do so, so I’m sure Ms Olson will forgive my doubts that she might be able to 🙂

   I will also add that I am extremely happy to have not impressed her in her “grand scheme of things” as I suspect doing so would mean having to believe the same rubbish she does and, without switching my brain off completely, that’s unlikely. To view the universe as she does would, for a rationalist, be a fate worse than death.

4. I belonged to the Section for Women in Public Administration (of the American Society for Public Administration) in the 1980s when we published a booklet called “The Right Word.” It also offered a number of alternatives for gender-specific language. May I suggest you consider using the term respectful language, or something like it? The terms politically correct and politically incorrect were originally promulgated by people who resented having to stop using sex-biased language or terms such as “old wives’ tale” or “off the reservation.” The usual excuses could be summarized as, “We’ve always said it that way.” The term politically correct is now used in a more neutral sense, but I’d love to see it leave the lexicon. Maybe you can help.

   • A friend said to me that “politically incorrect” is a silly name for it anyway, that it should be something more like “socially incorrect” so yeah, I’m with you in thinking it should get replaced if possible.

5. Kathy ~

   I do appreciate you for allowing everyone to have a say, whether or not they agree. It shows you respect others’ opinions and don’t resort to shadow-banning or silencing them as some platform do, if someone has a difference of opinion.

   It is clear that you put a LOT of time and effort each time into producing your words lists for authors.

   Thank you!

   Caroline Olson

6. Most of these replacements I agree with, and I will use them in my stories wherever I can.
   A few, like “human”, I think are ridiculous. That’s what our species is called. Next, we’ll be asked whether we can “personage” that heavy load, or see things like “the police person personhandled the suspect.” (Treated him/her roughly)
   Let’s not get carried away here, OK?

7. I am old so I have some difficulty with pronouns (I only commit to doing my best) but I avoid most, if not all, of those anyway. I think the written word flows better when I use gender-neutral terms, anyway.

8. I would like to thank you for this list. Non Inclusive language is a pet hate of mine. You missed one that annoys me. It’s one people use when discussing workers. That word is ‘staffers’. There is a word already for this. It’s ‘staff’. Why add -ers onto the end? It’s so ugly.
   Also, one suggestion you make is ‘Christian name’ as an alternative to Maiden name. Maiden name is the name a woman has before she marries. Christian name is the name your parents gave you, if you are a Christian. In other words, your first name. Not everyone is a Christian and referring to either Maiden name, or First name as a Christian name would give offence to non-Christians.
   Finally, I cannot see what is wrong with acknowledging a person’s gender, unless they are transexual. I am female, so what’s wrong with calling me an authoress, or poetess? Or someone an actress? The words author, poet and actor, are MALE words, so it’s as bad as calling something ‘manmade’.
   I would be interested in hearing your views, and those of your other readers.

9. AUTHORS SHOULD BE AWARE of a stunning report by the New York Times on the Gateway Pundit website today that reads, “Children’s Author R. L. Stine Publisher Made “Woke” Edits Without His Knowledge. His “Goosebumps” popular horror series is the latest literary target of publishers trying to satisfy the woke agenda.
   These so-called ‘sensitivity gurus’ also scrubbed legendary author Roald Dahl’s children’s books to avoid offending snowflake liberals. Upcoming reprinting of Ian Fleming’s 1950’s James Bond books are also being rewritten to remove ‘racially insensitive’ words and stereotypes.
   The U.K. Times said it found more than 100 edits in e-book versions in Goosebumps. Any changes were not shown to the author.” Stine says he was not aware of the changes, never made them himself.”
   The radical Woke Agenda needs to be confronted head-on because an author’s copyright works should not have words removed or changed after publication just to satisfy the current liberal social agenda.
   Be aware, authors! I’ve heard Kindle is doing the same thing. Now, what to do about it? I have six books I intend to self-publish and sell as E-books when finished and I do NOT want Amazon to make changes to my words. I’d rather sell them from my own website so I have complete control. Any thoughts from the good people on here? Thanks in advance.

   • Well said, Caroline. I just commented that I see nothing wrong with acknowledging someone is male or female by calling them, for example, policeman (if male) and policewoman (if female).
     As to changing books without the author’s knowledge is appalling. Surely this ought to be illegal if the author is still alive, or the owners of the copyright if they aren’t. I don’t suppose it is, though.

   • Hey Caroline, I know of a few authors who have removed their books from amazon and are selling them through their own websites. This ‘woke’ culture has to change and thanks for the information above, very interesting. I’m at a loss of what is happening around the world. I have my own personal thoughts but best not aired here.

     • To CB – I believe I will avoid Amazon, especially now that you said other authors have pulled out. This morning I began searching for info on a website to sell my E-books from.

       I already have an 11-page website for my nonprofit and a great computer tech to help me get a new website set up as an author. My goal is to raise funds from the sale of my books to benefit my nonprofit. And I bought a domain name for my brand last year so am ready to follow through.

       Thanks for the nice response. Best of luck to you!
       Caroline Olson

10. Thank you, Kathy.
    For the commercial world, this guidance is invaluable.
    I appreciate how much hard but thoughtful work has gone into this.
    On the other hand, I am greatly relieved to read comments from your readership – those determined not to be coerced by the inexperienced who seem to be manipulated into divisive and eventually unkind behaviours.

11. Kathy ~
    I refuse to be politically correct! There are only TWO genders – male and female. God said it and that’s that. See Genesis 1:27. I will NOT be intimidated or forced to go along with the disturbing, unfounded, radical notion that there are more than two genders. And I really don’t care if someone is “offended” that I don’t play their game, because it’s stupid.

    As a nurse, and editor of a health newsletter and several articles regarding health and wellness, I delve deep into medical research and know that it is IMPOSSIBLE for one to change their gender. They can whack off body parts, inject hormones and change their wardrobe, but it is impossible to change one’s DNA. Anyone who thinks otherwise is mentally ill. And the vast majority of the population agree.

    I am disappointed that you even suggest we take care to not “offend” a reader who is CONFUSED about whether they are male or female. There will always be someone who will find something to complain about. That’s human nature. So what?

    • Nicely put… mine wasn’t as eloquent 🙂

    • I don’t think Zeus ever said that. Or maybe you’re referring to Odin? Or perhaps some other of the thousands of gods humans have invented over the millennia?

12. I will not change my writing style, I will refer to females as girls, women and males as boys, men, etc. we cannot live in fear of hurting someone’s delicate feelings because of a word.
    This is gone too far, if someone doesn’t like my book put it down and stop reading!
    Simple fix!

    • My thoughts exactly!

13. What a great list and so informative. Thank you, Kathy!

14. I’m getting so fed up with all this ‘wokeness’. When you have to sit and think about how not to offend anyone – takes the creativity away in my books. I want to write a story -YES a story. Crazy

15. Thank you, but I just want to say how grateful I am that I was born and brought up in a period (30s and 40s) when we didn’t have to rack our brains as writers as to whether we were ‘doing it right…’ Both periods, of course, had its imperfections, but we were more worried about dying or being injured/surviving, rationing etc., and trying to live a comfortable life in World War 11 than the ‘delicate feelings’ of the sexes. I try, hard, to ‘walk in other’s shoes…’ I really do, but feel we have over-stretched ourselves, emotionally, and need to be more stoic.

    • Joy, I was brought up not long after you, and I agree. Besides, by calling a female an actor instead of an actress, we are using a male word for her. Isn’t this what we’re trying to get away from? A male dominated society?

      • Lol! Good point.
        Wait until our A.I. overlords take over. I guess we’ll have to refer them to ‘Your Supreme Majesty.’

16. We are all created equal; but some are more equal than others.

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