Why We Need To Lose Biased Words Like 'Mistress' For Good

Why We Need To Lose Biased Words Like 'Mistress' For Good
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As mother to a young daughter, I find myself correcting my own word usage quite frequently: I try to say “firefighter” instead of “fireman”, “police officer” instead of “policeman”. It’s a small thing, but knowing how impressionable kids are, combined with the far-reaching impact of gender stereotypes, it feels like the least I can do.

So I was pleased to learn that one woman is teaching a similar sort of lesson – not to kids, but to adults in the media. Paula Broadwell, best known for having an affair with David Petraeus that led to the then-CIA director’s resignation, is fighting back against the sexist word that was used so frequently to vilify her.

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