I personally find calling people “a female” or “a male” (adjectives used as nouns) to come across as somewhat depersonalizing, as if implying that this were the only significant fact about the person. I would say the same goes for these examples:
Racial categories: “He is a black” (noun) vs. “he is black” (predicate adjective)
Nationalities: “He is a Chinese” vs. “he is Chinese”
Sexual orientations: “He is a gay” vs. “he is gay”
The choice of “female” vs. “woman” (and “male” vs. “man”) also seems significant to me. “Female” and “male” sound more clinical and biological — the sort of thing one would expect on a lab report or an autopsy — while “woman” and “man” sound more social or casual. As a male, I have testicles; as a man, I am often expected to be interested in football, porno, and books about war.
I agree broadly with this. I’d suggest that “if you are a female reader” feels less depersonalising than “if you are a female”. It feels to me like it is conveying the relevant criteria without oversimplifying people to just their gender.
That’s even worse IMO. WTH is wrong with women? (Except that it can be taken to exclude children, but I don’t think there are many 10-year-olds reading LW anyway.)
I personally find calling people “a female” or “a male” (adjectives used as nouns) to come across as somewhat depersonalizing, as if implying that this were the only significant fact about the person. I would say the same goes for these examples:
Racial categories: “He is a black” (noun) vs. “he is black” (predicate adjective)
Nationalities: “He is a Chinese” vs. “he is Chinese”
Sexual orientations: “He is a gay” vs. “he is gay”
The choice of “female” vs. “woman” (and “male” vs. “man”) also seems significant to me. “Female” and “male” sound more clinical and biological — the sort of thing one would expect on a lab report or an autopsy — while “woman” and “man” sound more social or casual. As a male, I have testicles; as a man, I am often expected to be interested in football, porno, and books about war.
I agree broadly with this. I’d suggest that “if you are a female reader” feels less depersonalising than “if you are a female”. It feels to me like it is conveying the relevant criteria without oversimplifying people to just their gender.
Thanks! Updated OP to “female reader”.
The use of “females” in the first line might as well be changed too. I’d just change it to “female people”, if I were you.
That’s even worse IMO. WTH is wrong with women? (Except that it can be taken to exclude children, but I don’t think there are many 10-year-olds reading LW anyway.)
fixed!