Abstract
Out of centuries of domination by males has come a language that subordi nates females. Girls and women from birth are barraged with words that are harmful to their self-images. Traditionalists argue that the language should not be changed to bring women into equality because of the "sanc tity" of ancient language patterns. But which is more important, the improvement of social conditions or the protection of words whose roots lie in archaic languages and whose only claim to being "right" lies in their establishment by male-dominated cultures? Let's not sacrifice women at the altar of words and tradition.
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