Why some words are gender biased — and how to use language to build inclusion

Words like ‘challenge’ and ‘ambition’ viewed alone are just words. But when we view them through this sociocultural lens, they become encoded with masculine bias. 

Words that uphold masculine stereotypes are also known as agentic language, while words that uphold feminine stereotypes are known as communal language. Both can contribute to negative outcomes in the workplace. 

That’s because gender biased language impacts everyone. Ethnically marginalised groups are more likely to hold meta-stereotypes that they believe a dominant group thinks about them, making them less likely to apply for jobs. In performance reviews, managers are more likely to value behaviours like ‘taking charge’ when assessing men. 

“Language spirals through everything,” Jenifer says. “When applying for a job, for example, women often don’t feel that a word like ‘ambitious’ applies to them, because it implies agentic behaviour.” 

But using biased language doesn’t just impact your organisation outwardly — it also shapes things at a cultural level, too. 

“You build culture with language,” Jenifer says. “It defines who you are, who you hire, who gets promoted, who builds your product, and who makes decisions. The language you choose reflects how people work at your company.”