A Diachronic Study of Sexism in English: Exploring the Impact of the Feminist Movement on Gendered Language

This paper conducts a diachronic study of sexism in the English language, ex-ploring how the feminist movement has influenced and transformed gen-dered linguistic practices over time. By examining the historical evolution of sexism in English, the study highlights the various ways in which language has perpetuated gender biases, including the markedness of female-related words, semantic pe-joration, and asymmetrical word choices and collocations. The pa-per also delves into the feminist movement’s efforts to challenge and reform these linguistic practices, from the introduction of gender-neutral terms and titles to the crea-tion of new pronouns. Despite significant resistance, feminist linguistic reforms have made considerable strides in promoting gender equality in language. The study concludes that these reforms have not only addressed inherent sexism but have also opened up new possibilities for thinking about gender and identity, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable society.