A Clarification on Language

Language matters, and I do my best to choose my words carefully.

• When I need to refer to a generic person, I will opt for the female pronoun first, if I cannot use a device like s/he or wo/man.
• When making an accusation of sexism, I will use the term sexist as opposed to "men". Though one could claim that everyone in our society is sexist, to some degree, I define sexist as someone who willfully espouses the tenets of sexism without acknowledgment of the negative repercussions.
• I use anti-feminist when talking about sexists that actively attempt to dismantle the feminist movement
• Important Reading

  Stop using gendered language thoughtlessly. There is a politics to language, and it is not just being "PC." That term was invented by right-wingers to fight back against things like women's studies, African American studies, and other non-white, non-male, non-imperial challenges to a racist, Eurocentric, and patriarchal canon. When you use male nouns and pronouns to describe human, you are reinforcing the idea and practice that makes male the norm. Calling the species homo sapien "Man" is a problem. Calling land and ships and other things "she" and "her," that men are seen to control, is a problem... because it assigns the controlling role to males. Saying that "it is colder than a witch's tit" is a sexist turn of phrase. Using the term "balls" to describe courage, and making courage a male characteristic, is a problem. Calling people who lack courage or strength "pussies" is a devaluation, as well as objectification, of women.
  
  From The Weaponized Phallus...

  
  

  In 1986 Douglas Hofstadter, a philosopher, wrote a parody of sexist language by making an analogy with race. His article ("A Person Paper on Purity in Language") creates an imaginary world in which generics are based on race rather than gender. In that world, people would use "freshwhite," "chairwhite" and yes, "you whiteys." People of color would hear "all whites are created equal" -- and be expected to feel included. Substituting "white" for "man" makes it easy to see why using "man" for all human beings is wrong. Yet, women are expected to feel flattered by "freshman," "chairman" and "you guys."
  
  From Why Sexist Language Matters

• Finally, if you "just don't get it", try Finally Feminism 101