Prefer inclusive phrasing (EK00013)
Neutral job titles describe a role without implying who holds it, keeping your documentation accurate and inclusive for every reader.
Neutral job titles describe a role without implying who holds it, which keeps your documentation accurate and widens its reach. EkLine flags gendered occupational terms and suggests a neutral equivalent (rule EK00013).
Why use gender-neutral job titles in documentation?
Section titled “Why use gender-neutral job titles in documentation?”Gendered occupational terms narrow the picture a reader forms of a role that anyone can fill. A neutral title such as “pilot” or “graduate” describes the same job without that limit, so the wording stays precise. Neutral terms also match the language most style guides and search queries already use, which improves consistency and discoverability.
What EkLine flags
Section titled “What EkLine flags”EK00013 matches gendered occupational terms and suggests a neutral replacement.
- ❌ Incorrect: The anchorman introduced the segment.
- ✅ Correct: The anchor introduced the segment.
- ❌ Incorrect: She is a distinguished alumnus of the program.
- ✅ Correct: She is a distinguished graduate of the program.
How to fix
Section titled “How to fix”Replace the flagged term with the suggested neutral equivalent: “airman” becomes “pilot”, “anchorman” becomes “anchor”, and “alumnus” becomes “graduate”.
What is a gender-neutral job title?
Section titled “What is a gender-neutral job title?”A gender-neutral job title names a role without signaling who holds it. “Pilot”, “anchor”, and “graduate” replace “airman”, “anchorman”, and “alumnus”.
Does gender-neutral wording change the meaning of a role?
Section titled “Does gender-neutral wording change the meaning of a role?”No. A neutral title describes the same job. It removes the implied gender without narrowing what the role is.
Rule details
Section titled “Rule details”| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Rule ID | EK00013 |
| Category | Inclusive language |
| Default severity | Error |
| Enabled by default | Yes |
Ignore this rule
Section titled “Ignore this rule”To keep a flagged term on one line, add an inline comment with a reason:
<!-- ekline-ignore-next-line EK00013 -- proper noun in an award name -->He received the Anchorman of the Year award in 1998.To disable the rule across your project, add it to the ignore list in your configuration file.