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Is "female" offensive? (lemmy.world)

submitted 9 months ago by Trincapinones@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I am not a native English speaker and I have sometimes referred to people as male and female (as that is what I have been taught) but I have received some backlash in some cases, especially for the word "female", is there some negative thought in the word which I am unaware of?

I don't know if this is the best place to ask, if it's not appropriate I have no problem to delete it ^^

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[–] Classy@sh.itjust.works 9 points 9 months ago (2 children)

I disagree. Male/female is used plenty with humans, but it tends to be used in a more clinical or 'objective' manner, such as in legal documents, autopsy reports, police suspect descriptions, things of that sort.

I think the use of, e.g., "Look at those four males over there", it has a bit of a connotation of separation of the personhood of the people involved. A man is a living, thinking being; he is worthy of dignity, and he has a soul. A 'male' can almost be called an 'it': it has a characterization of cold, scientific classification.

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@reddthat.com 4 points 9 months ago

A ‘male’ can almost be called an ‘it’: it has a characterization of cold, scientific classification.

But that's the issue: its dehumanizing and that's done intentionally. The use case you mention seems to just be an extension of its usage for livestock rather than an exception. But its an exception to it being used in a misogynistic way while still being a noun.

[–] arin@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

Don't bring science to feminism!