Procedure 20-3

Date effective: 1991-05-06

Authorized by: Secretary General of the University

GUIDELINES FOR GENDER PARITY IN UNIVERSITY TEXTS

1. BASIC PRINCIPLES
   1.  The masculine gender should not be used to refer to both men and women.
   2. The use of parentheses, slashes and hyphens to isolate the feminine gender (ex.: his/her, his(her)) should be avoided.
2. GENDER-NEUTRALITY
   1. Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives
      
      To avoid the problem of gender-specific pronouns and possessive adjectives ("he" and "she"; "his" and "her";), the following alternatives are available:
      1. 1. 1) Use of plural nouns and pronouns

         e.g. A staff member can use his I.D. card to enter the sports facilities --- Staff members can use their I.D. cards...

      2. 1. 2) Replacement of possessive adjectives with articles

         e.g. An employee must advise his supervisor in case of emergency --- An employee must advise the supervisor...

      3. 1. 3) Use of both possessive adjectives, linked by "or". Their order should be varied in lengthy texts.

         e.g. Each student must contact his thesis supervisor --- Each student must contact his or her..., or her or his...

      4. 1. 4) Elimination of the pronoun (neutral expression)

         e.g. Each student is expected to try as hard as she can --- Each student is expected to try as hard as possible.

      5. 1. 5) Use of both pronouns, linked by "or"

         e.g. If a student fails an exam, he must... --- If a student fails an exam, he or she must...

      6. 1. 6) Direct address to the reader (in more personal or promotional texts)

         e.g. If he participates regularly in residence activities, the student will adapt more quickly ---If you participate..., you will adapt...

      7. 1. 7) Use of genderless nouns or phrases

         e.g. A chairman of a department should also speak his mind during promotion hearings --- A chairperson (or department head) should also speak out (or "express opinions") during...

   2. Titles and Terms: Suggestions
      
      Titles and terms with the prefix or suffix "man" should be replacedby gender-free terms and titles. Below is a list of examples

3. CORRESPONDENCE AND FORMS OF ADDRESS
   1. It is best not to refer to the marital status of women unless it is specified by the addressee.

   2. For replies to external letters, the sex or status specified by the originator is used of course. Should this information be lacking, the letter can be addressed without reference to sex or status, for example

      1.  

         1. R.S. Jones

            6 Main St.
            Ottawa, Ontario

      As for the salutation, it can read in one of two ways:

      2. Dear R.S. Jones: or Dear Sir or Madam:
   3. For correspondence with a person whose sex, status or name are unknown, "Dear Sir or Madam:" is used.

   4. In the address of a letter, the form "Mr. and Mrs. LarrySmith" should be avoided, even though certain experts maintain that this usage is still proper etiquette. Preferable forms would be:

      1. "Larry and Julie Smith" or "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"
      2.  
         1. NOTE: In the province of Quebec, and more and more frequently outside this province, women no longer take the name of their husband. A letter to both wife and husband in this case bears both their names.

      e.g. Marie Davidson and Marc Shuster.

Published May 6, 1991

(Office of the Secretary)