PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Soldiers, Sailors and ...?
View Single Post
Old 7th Aug 2020, 11:29
  #6 (permalink)  
ORAC
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 17,465
Received 1,625 Likes on 742 Posts
The second issue revolves about the rank of Aircraftman (and LAC and SAC) which officially applies to women too - I believe their rank is not, bizarrely Aircraftwoman
The term man is not gender specific - “What a piece of work is man!” In Hamlet applies equally, as does mankind and manslaughter.

I always thought the trend to use terms such as chairperson was manifestly silly, as with attempts to eliminate the use of term as a prefix or suffix b6 those ignorant of the etymology.

https://www.etymonline.com/word/man

"a featherless plantigrade biped mammal of the genus Homo" [Century Dictionary], Old English man, mann "human being, person (male or female).
ORAC is online now