We Use Female Pronouns Because Women Are Objectified
A brief look at why so many objects and ideas are seen as female
The dangerous, sexy, Maria robot in 1927’s huge hit science fiction movie, Metropolis could have warned us about this.
Since time immemorial, men have shaped the world and history through patriarchy and division of genders. They gave female pronouns such as “she” and “her” to everything from ships to nations.
Now we live in times where actual robots are sold as sex toys.
Such is the role of sex in the world. Because most men are heterosexual, they are very attracted to women. Thus, they also use the feminine sex to apply to other objects they are interested in. I know men who call their cars Molly, or Christine. In fact there are people who name their baby girls after their car, or its particular brand. Lexus, Kia, and Mercedes, for example, are car brands with female names.
But, does thinking of objects as female objectify women? Language is perhaps the most complex tool in the sapiens toolkit. It cannot help but influence our thinking. Also, our thinking influences language.
Although the habit came to be traditional, today it is largely subconscious. Persons of every gender may refer to their car with sentiments such as…
