Gender-sensitive language: Experiences of the Serbian armed forces

Abstract

This paper discusses examples of gender sensitive job qualifications, with the emphasis on jobs and ranks of professional military personnel. It provides the most common reasons for and against these qualifications, as well as a brief review of professional debates in this field. The results of the analysis of data obtained by the research conducted in the defense system of the Republic of Serbia show that there is a general hostility towards the introduction of gender-sensitive addressing to service women. It has been noticed that this hostility is larger in younger than in older military personnel, which is explained by fear from competition and fear from negative reaction of close environment to new rules of addressing.

Keywords

• gender equality
• gender-sensitive language
• serbian armed forces