Repeat after me: It’s humankind. Not mankind.
It might not seem like a big deal, but terms such as “male or female” and “women or men” exclude non-binary and intersex people who don’t fall into any of these categories. Diverse gender identities have always existed in every culture, and ensuring the rights of transgender, genderqueer, non-binary individuals and more—who often face horrifying violence and discrimination across the world—is an inherent part of gender equality. (Generation Equality pro tip: Check out the ‘Genderbread Person’ to learn the difference between sex, gender, gender identity and gender expression).
Everyday language plays a huge role in breaking gender stereotypes and rejecting the binary of “male and female”. Instead of using phrases like “ladies and gentlemen” or “boys and girls”, swap in a gender-neutral term like “folks,” “children,” or “y’all.” These little changes can go a long way toward shifting cultural perceptions of gender.
Don’t assume you know someone’s pronoun or gender. One way to open up a conversation is to give your own: include your pronouns when you introduce yourself or add them to your email signature or your social media profiles. Gender pronouns include: she/her, he/him, they/them, ze/zir, ze/hir, xe/zem, and zie/hir, xe/xem, and ey/em.
When referring to a person using the pronouns, gender and name that they use to identify themselves, do not refer to or reveal a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status without their consent.
For more on this topic, check out the UN’s Free & Equal Campaign.