Question: Gendered Language
Veychi asks…
Hey fellow Genderforkers,
Any ideas on how to cope with having to use a heavily gendered language to get through everyday life? My first language is gendered to the point where not even a simple sentence such as “I was” can be formed without choosing a “male” or “female” form, and constantly having to use forms consistent with the only gender I am perceived as really messes with my head, since whenever I speak I feel like my speech further enforces the gender binary and traps me within it a little bit more.
I wish I lived in an English-speaking country simply because the language leaves much more room for improvisation and innovation.
Please post your response in the comments below.
» Ask Genderfork «
Category: questions 2 comments »
May 12th, 2015 at 11:04 am |
This tactic totally works only if the environment is either accepting or friendly or good-humored, but this is what I do in language courses (I know, not a realistic portrayal of daily life but it’s what I’ve got).
I switch between sexes. If I say a sentence with more than one gendered personal word, I use feminine for one and masculine for the other. And if I’m saying an uber long or fancy schmancy sentence with about a million personal words, I can use more masculine than feminine or more feminine than masculine depending on how I’m feeling that day.
I also sometimes make up endings. Like instead of -i or -a, I’ll use -u, which isn’t actually an ending but works if you’re trying to avoid gender.
[Reply]
May 19th, 2015 at 6:27 pm |
I just remind myself that I am not a language, and do that often. That’s all I got.
[Reply]