In my opinion, the correct sentence should read: “We are
ready to elect the first female
president…” The words “male” and “female” are adjectives for a reason (they can
also be used as nouns, as shown later), and they should be used as adjectives
when obvious. Here are some correct but nuanced examples:
- female shoes, woman’s shoes, or women’s shoes (not woman
shoes or women shoes)
- male slacks, man’s slacks, or men’s slacks (not man slacks
or men slacks) - female principal (not woman principal)
Consider these other correct examples:
- The next president will be a woman who will have a male or
female vice president.
- Our current president is a man who has a female Attorney
General of the United States.- I wear shoes that are made for a man, not for a woman.
A good way to catch mistakes in this gender-centric area is
to think about the statement to see if it sounds right. If it sounds right,
then it probably is. But as we have seen, many journalists, candidates, and
others think that “a woman president” or a “woman doctor” sounds right and
is perfectly correct; I understand, and this is their opinion. This debate is not
new, and it has been talked about for years in references to non-presidential
settings because it singles out women, rightly or wrongly. According to
professional grammarians, language constantly evolves and exceptions are made.
Some will disagree with my opinion on this topic, and one day these may all be
acceptable phrases—but as of now, it is not a correct usage that’s widely
accepted. As a society, we are not gender neutral (rightly or wrongly), and until that time
arrives, my suggestion is to stick to the rules as much as you can or be as
neutral as you can. Possibly, we can quit referring to people as a “male this”
or a “female that.” How about just indicate their profession or situation without
the adjective?
Thanks for tuning in, and for all of you who are reading
today’s post, I hope your favorite candidates—man or woman, female or male—win in
the many elections next year. But I must predict, however, that the next
president will not be a man president nor will she be a woman president. Sorry.
Randall Ponder, Baton Rouge, Louisiana USA www.editing-expert.com https://www.twitter.com/randallponder @randallponder
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