5
$\begingroup$

Last year, the United States Navy was ordered to review all of its job titles related to gender reference, e.g. yeoman, fireman and seaman. The Air Force has initiatives to fully integrate women in all jobs, and has also been pressured to review job names: Air Force Times Story, Jan 14, 2016

Has the FAA taken any action to review or change gender-specific titles like "airman"? Is there a non-gender specific title like "airperson" coming into use? Terms like stewardess and cockpit have been dropped from parlance.

Is there anything official or brewing at the FAA on this subject?

I'd be interested in your comments if using flight crewmember would be a valid substitute for the term airman.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
7
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Onte thing they have done relatively recently is rename the Airman’s Information Manual to Aeronautical Information Manual. Many of the FAA publications now use 'he or she' instead of 'he'. I don’t know if there is a policy for that. $\endgroup$
    – JScarry
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 15:15
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ I don't see any need for this. "Man" is short-from for Man and "Man" is also short-form for "woman". $\endgroup$
    – TayE
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 15:16
  • 7
    $\begingroup$ What was wrong with cockpit? Will it become henpit? $\endgroup$
    – Koyovis
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 15:54
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @Koyovis "Flight Deck". $\endgroup$
    – egid
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 18:54
  • 7
    $\begingroup$ @TayE, any chance you're a man? That's usually how this sort of discussion goes, for what it's worth. $\endgroup$
    – egid
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 18:55

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7
$\begingroup$

This AC from 2009 lays out some regulations on it for part 21 regulations

j. Replace the masculine pronouns “he” and “his” with gender-neutral terms. The new rule uses plain language.

It looks like they also made a lot of changes to the medical code in 1996 that covers it as well.

  1. Where appropriate, changes are made to eliminate gender-specific pronouns, to replace ‘‘applicant’’ with ‘‘person,’’ to use current position titles and addresses, to correct spelling and improve syntax, and to adjust section and paragraph references.
Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Reading more about this, is seems the Associated Press holds sway in changing norms, at least as far as journalists speak, according to one story regarding the term mailman, "quoth the 2013 edition: "letter carrier is the preferred term because many women hold this job." $\endgroup$
    – STWilson
    Commented Jun 15, 2017 at 20:20

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .