Gender Neutral Language

       Connie's "Patient Instructions" sheet when she left Kaiser today read,  "The patient was instructed to keep his follow up appointments with his primary care physician."  It's way too late in the evolution of gender neutral language to accept that kind of thing.

       It made me recall a Readers' Theatre show I wrote 30 or more years ago about language in which we attempted to find new words for some common sexist ones:

                  "Foreman" could become..."Supervisor."
                  "Motorman" could become..."Driver."
                  There can be both "Councilman" and "Councilwoman" OR
                       "Councilmember."                                                    
                  "Chairman" can be "Chairperson"; or, some think "Chair" is
                       even better.
                  "Men" at work:  "People" at work.
                  A "Manmade" lake:  "Artificial," it's been dammed and filled.
                  "Manmade" shoes?  "Synthetic."
                  "Manhole" cover:  "Access" cover.

 "Patient was instructed to keep follow up appointments with primary care physician."