- The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Women’s Social Movement Activism
- List of Contributors
- Introduction: The Long History of Women’s Social Movement Activism in the United States
- Layers of Activism: Women’s Movements and Women in Movements Approaching the Twentieth Century
- The Swells between the “Waves”: American Women’s Activism, 1920–1965
- The Equal Rights Amendment Campaign and Its Opponents
- The Turn toward Socialist, Radical, and Lesbian Feminisms
- Contemporary Feminism and Beyond
- Intersectionality: Origins, Travels, Questions, and Contributions
- Mobilizing the Faithful: Conservative and Right-Wing Women’s Movements in America
- The Historical Roots of a Global Feminist Perspective and the Growing Global Focus among U.S. Feminists
- Workplace Discrimination, Equal Pay, and Sexual Harassment: An Intersectional Approach
- Battles over Abortion and Reproductive Rights: Movement Mobilization and Strategy
- Maternalist and Community Politics
- Women’s Health Social Movements
- U.S. Women’s Movements to End Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse, and Rape
- Welfare, Poverty, and Low-Wage Employment
- Anti-Feminist, Pro-Life, and Anti-ERA Women
- The Dynamics and Causes of Gender and Feminist Consciousness and Feminist Identities
- Movement Emergence and Resource Mobilization: Organizations, Leaders, and Coalition Work
- Identity Politics, Consciousness-Raising, and Visibility Politics
- Protest Events and Direct Action
- Language and Its Everyday Revolutionary Potential: Feminist Linguistic Activism in the United States
- Sexuality, Gender Identity, Fluidity, and Embodiment
- From Ink to Web and Beyond: U.S. Women’s Activism Using Traditional and New Social Media
- Inside the State: Activism within Legislative and Governmental Agency Forums
- Women as a Force in Electoral Politics
- U.S. Women’s Legal Activism in the Judicial Arena
- Female Empowerment and the Chain of Command: Women in the U.S. Military
- Push, Pull, and Fusion: Women’s Activism and Religious Institutions
- Women’s Activism and Educational Institutions
- Women, Sports, and Activism
- Women’s Activism in the Modern Movement for Black Liberation
- Latinas in U.S. Social Movements
- Women in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Movement
- American Women’s Environmental Activism: Motivations, Experiences, and Transformations
- Gendered Activism and Outcomes: Women in the Peace Movement
- Women’s Activism in U.S. Labor Unions
- Women in the White Supremacist Movement
- Index
Abstract and Keywords
Centering on the English language reform movement, this chapter describes three main strategies through which feminists have targeted language, both as an object to reform and a platform for revolution. First, it describes the strategy of challenging man-made language forms, exemplified in debates over masculine generics. Second, it discusses the strategy of creating and institutionalizing egalitarian naming practices in order to reclaim the power to name and define. By tracing such forms as Ms., it becomes evident that even small shifts in language use can contribute to cultural change. Third, it describes the strategy of linguistic disruption, illustrated through such neologisms as herstory and womyn, gender-neutral forms such as singular they, and third-gender forms such as zie and zir. By using language creatively and sometimes radically to reject patriarchal language, respond to gender bias, and empower women, feminist activists and everyday speakers alike can employ linguistic practices to promote equality.
Keywords: feminism, language, sociolinguistics, linguistic, activism, language reform
Christine Mallinson is Associate Professor of Language, Literacy, and Culture and Affiliate Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her work investigates language in its social context. She has co-authored two recent volumes, Understanding English Language Variation in U.S. Schools and We Do Language: English Language Variation in the Secondary English Classroom.
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- The Oxford Handbook of U.S. Women’s Social Movement Activism
- List of Contributors
- Introduction: The Long History of Women’s Social Movement Activism in the United States
- Layers of Activism: Women’s Movements and Women in Movements Approaching the Twentieth Century
- The Swells between the “Waves”: American Women’s Activism, 1920–1965
- The Equal Rights Amendment Campaign and Its Opponents
- The Turn toward Socialist, Radical, and Lesbian Feminisms
- Contemporary Feminism and Beyond
- Intersectionality: Origins, Travels, Questions, and Contributions
- Mobilizing the Faithful: Conservative and Right-Wing Women’s Movements in America
- The Historical Roots of a Global Feminist Perspective and the Growing Global Focus among U.S. Feminists
- Workplace Discrimination, Equal Pay, and Sexual Harassment: An Intersectional Approach
- Battles over Abortion and Reproductive Rights: Movement Mobilization and Strategy
- Maternalist and Community Politics
- Women’s Health Social Movements
- U.S. Women’s Movements to End Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse, and Rape
- Welfare, Poverty, and Low-Wage Employment
- Anti-Feminist, Pro-Life, and Anti-ERA Women
- The Dynamics and Causes of Gender and Feminist Consciousness and Feminist Identities
- Movement Emergence and Resource Mobilization: Organizations, Leaders, and Coalition Work
- Identity Politics, Consciousness-Raising, and Visibility Politics
- Protest Events and Direct Action
- Language and Its Everyday Revolutionary Potential: Feminist Linguistic Activism in the United States
- Sexuality, Gender Identity, Fluidity, and Embodiment
- From Ink to Web and Beyond: U.S. Women’s Activism Using Traditional and New Social Media
- Inside the State: Activism within Legislative and Governmental Agency Forums
- Women as a Force in Electoral Politics
- U.S. Women’s Legal Activism in the Judicial Arena
- Female Empowerment and the Chain of Command: Women in the U.S. Military
- Push, Pull, and Fusion: Women’s Activism and Religious Institutions
- Women’s Activism and Educational Institutions
- Women, Sports, and Activism
- Women’s Activism in the Modern Movement for Black Liberation
- Latinas in U.S. Social Movements
- Women in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Movement
- American Women’s Environmental Activism: Motivations, Experiences, and Transformations
- Gendered Activism and Outcomes: Women in the Peace Movement
- Women’s Activism in U.S. Labor Unions
- Women in the White Supremacist Movement
- Index
