Saying Bye to Bitch

By Kat Leskovar

Question/Hypothesis
How have language and visuals
shaped perceptions around gender?
Language and visuals have shaped
our perceptions around gender
because the way that we use
language and see things around us
influence how we act around/perceive
the opposite gender.

Some questions
How are gender perceptions created
in culture?
How does language challenge or
support these perceptions?
How do these challenges affect us?

Sex vs. gender perceptions

Sex is biologically founded while gender is

learned behavior
Gender perceptions are created through family,

education, peer groups, and mass media

Claims
Women use linguistic forms that reflect and
reinforce a subordinate role through:
-Tag Questions
-Question Intonation
-Weak Directives
Men use a language style based on
competitiveness while women use one based
on cooperation
Women use more prestige form of
language

Some gender perceptions

Traditionally, the female stereotypic role is to
marry and have children. She is also to put her
family's welfare before her own; be loving,
compassionate, caring, nurturing, and sympathetic
The male stereotypic role is to be the financial
provider. He is also to be assertive, competitive,
independent, courageous, and careerfocused, he is
also to hold his emotions in check

How does language

challenge or support these
When a word that is referring
to a person is distinguished
perceptions?
by gender, the feminine form is often marked with a suffix,
which at times carries the sense of being small (eg.
Stewardess, lioness)
The construction of masculinity based on strength or

sexual prowess (stud, jock, hunk) implies weaker

masculinities linked to lack of strength (wimp)
Men's language is increasingly being used by women, but

women's language is not being adopted by men, apart from

those who reject the American masculine image (e.g.
homosexuals)

Visuals
What we see around us can also
affect our perceptions:
-such as TV, film, art, and in the
media can shape how we view others
and life in general

Why you should care

Systematically marking certain things in

life, such as jobs for instance, as masculine

and feminine may unnecessarily limit boys
and girls and eventually, mens and
womens choices later on in life

Bitch
In the Bitch Manifesto by Joreen, she gives an early
example of language reclamation by a social
movement, as well as a celebration of non-traditional
gender roles
By continually using the word bitch throughout her

text, she removes the negative connotations associated

with the word and replaces them positive attributes

Conclusion
In order to reach a society which has
complete equality of the genders,
sexist language must be readdressed
along with other societal inequalities.
In conclusion, language and visuals
have shaped our perceptions around
gender by influencing how we
perceive gender and therefore, the
opposite gender too.