Bugs and Blondes
As is wont to happen in New England in the fall, our yellow, sun-smiled-upon home is currently covered in ladybugs. If we sit down on our tiny front porch for even a second, the little rascals land on any part of our body that is convenient for them. We keep our legs crossed.
While sitting out there in the unusual warmth of this November day swatting away dive-bombing ladybugs, the image of the ladybug character from the Disney movie A Bug’s Life came to mind. Remember that one? Denis Leary’s raspy voice was perfect comedic candy for the ear. Other insects in the story were shocked to discover that there was a male ladybug. The little-kid ants wonder: Aren’t all ladybugs female? It’s actually in the word: ladybug.
Those Disney folks really go for details, which you can tell by the ladybug’s name: Francis. Francis is one of those names that has two spellings; one is historically male and the other female. The ladybug has the male spelling that uses the “-is” ending as in St. Francis, not the female “-es” as in the 1960s Bedtime for Frances children’s book series. (Hat tip here to my uncle and cousin, Francis Sr. and Francis Jr.)
Gendered Vocabulary
Male and female words come from our Romance Language roots, as those of us who studied French, German, Spanish, Italian, and the like can attest. Some indications of word gender are marked by ending letters, such as when words end in “-a” to indicate the feminine (e.g., the Spanish “chica,” the Italian “signora”). Certain subtle changes in word endings determine whether the word will apply to women or men. For example, a yellow-haired male is a “blond,” but a woman with “hair the color of corn” is a “blonde.” (Hat tip to Sondheim’s Into the Woods.)
There are far more overt ways words denote gender differences in our English language.
-ESS
The suffix “-ess” was ladled onto lots of words to indicate a female version of a word or job. Take waiters and waitresses, authors and authoresses, stewards and stewardesses. Ancient texts feature prophets and prophetesses, gods and goddesses, sorcerers and a sorceresses. Historic tales tell us of barons and baronesses, priors and prioresses, or governors and governesses. And every 50s party guide listed tasks for the host and hostess (and you hoped she brought her delicious chocolate, cream-filled cupcakes with the looped white design on top).
That -ess has come to be seen as making a woman seem subsidiary to a man, despite people doing the same tasks with the same skill sets. It has finally become important for gender equity to be present in the nomenclature, and gender-specific words are slowly but surely giving way to gender-neutral terms. (We will not discuss payment differences here, just the words.)
Those same waiters and waitresses are now called servers or waitstaff. An author is an author is an author, and a steward/stewardess is now a flight attendant. Historical words are kept in historical texts (when was the last time you met a sorcerer or sorceress?), but more and more, we are seeing one word cover the title or category for any role or calling in society.
A Bit of History
One set of English words seems to be giving quite a few people pause: “actor” and “actress.” Before the British Restoration period (1660-1700), all female roles were played by men, usually young men whose voices had yet to change. These young men were the troupe apprentices who were learning their craft; they had not yet reached actor status. They came to be known as “actresses,” which indicated their lower ranking in the theatre hierarchy as well as their playing the female roles.
When women were finally allowed to act on stage, the word “actress” stuck. At the time, the theatre was considered no place for a decent woman, so the word actress came to be associated with prostitution, as did all women who dared to “strut [their] hour upon the stage” (Macbeth, Act V, scene v). Nice, huh?
Regardless of gender identification or history, anyone who acts in a play or film or other medium uses the same skills, so why make a distinction? Sigh. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences still has an award category for actress, while The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) awards a prize to the best female actor. Someday, we’ll figure it all out. Change is slow. Sometimes glacial.
Writers, Get Off Your -Ess
Language is key to establishing a setting for your characters, so do your research. What were people in certain roles or positions called in the time period you are writing about? Does your story take place in the 21st century? If so, be sure to find and use the current nomenclature.
Or ask a proofreader or copy editor. That’s what we’re here for.
Think like Francis, the ladybug: Do you and do right by your characters!