malegeneric

Malegeneric refers to the linguistic practice of using masculine forms as the default or generic reference for people, regardless of gender. It is commonly discussed in relation to languages with grammatical gender or gendered pronouns, where the masculine form is employed when the gender of the referent is unknown, mixed, or unspecified. Critics argue that this convention reinforces gender bias and invisibility for women and nonbinary people.

In practice, malegeneric manifests in several ways. In many languages with gendered nouns and adjectives, the masculine form is used for mixed-gender groups or for abstract references. For example, traditional pronoun usage in English has leaned on he as a stand-in for a person, though modern style and usage increasingly favor gender-neutral forms such as they. In Spanish, French, and German, masculine plural forms are frequently used to refer to groups that include both men and women, or where gender is not specified, with feminine forms reserved for all-female groups. Job titles and profession descriptors have historically followed masculine defaults as well, though reforms in various languages encourage more gender-balanced or inclusive alternatives.

Impact and response vary by language community. Proponents of inclusive language advocate replacing masculine generics with gender-neutral constructions, explicit pairing (e.g., “he or she,” “men and women”), or plural forms that include all genders. Critics sometimes argue such changes create clutter or alter tradition. The topic remains a focus of sociolinguistic research and language policy, reflecting broader discussions about gender equality and representation.