This paper investigated the use of sexist language in English vocabulary by examininggender asymmetry and sexism in contemporary written discourse. The traditional sexistlanguage often reinforces gender stereotypes and inequalities. In English, the masculineterms are considered the unmarked form (the norm) while the feminine terms are marked.This paper discussed different types of gender asymmetry in languages in relation to themarkedness theory, and introduced the gender-inclusive alternatives to traditional sexistlanguage, such as using gender-neutral pronoun, using gender-neutral title Ms., usinggender-neutral working titles such as Police officer, Firefighter and Spokesman. In orderto evaluate how gender-inclusive language is actually used in the US, this paperconducted a diachronic research of sexist and gender-neutral terms in news articles fromthe New York Times (NYT) from 1965 to 2015, uncovering a gradual increase in the useof gender-inclusive language over time. The findings are compared with two prior studiesof sexist language in British written discourse. The results indicated that masculinepronouns and social titles continue to be prevalent in the NYT, along with the UK.However, the feminine title Ms. is more commonly used in the US as opposed to the UK.Additionally, certain gender-neutral working titles such as police officer and firefighterhave become the most frequently used terms. In contrast, terms such as spokesman arestill very unpopular in the UK and the US. This paper concluded with a future vision ofthe application of gender-neutral vocabulary in written discourse.

Este estudio evalúa actitudes lingüísticas de profesores de español como lengua extranjera en Suecia hacia formas de género neutral en diferentes contextos y formatos, centrándose en las innovaciones morfológicas -e, -x, -@ así como en el desdoblamiento. Igualmente, compara la actitud entre profesores de lengua materna española y sueca. Los resultados reflejan una preferencia generalizada por el genérico masculino arraigada en las normas lingüísticas tradicionales y convenciones sociales. Se observa una mayor aceptación hacia el desdoblamiento en contextos informales, indicando una apertura a prácticas lingüísticas inclusivas. Se observan diferencias en las actitudes entre profesores de lengua materna española y sueca. Los profesores con lengua materna sueca tienden a mostrar una mayor aceptación hacia las formas de lenguaje inclusivo, pero resistencia hacia el morfema -e en situaciones orales. La lengua materna, la cultura lingüística y las normas gramaticales influyen en la percepción del lenguaje inclusivo. Se concluye que las actitudes lingüísticas hacia formas de género neutro varían según el contexto y las experiencias individuales. Estas conclusiones resaltan la complejidad de las actitudes dentro del profesorado de español en Suecia, subrayando que las actitudes pueden diferir según el contexto de la comunicación, así como si el formato es oral o escrito. Los hallazgos se alinean con la idea de que las actitudes lingüísticas varían según factores culturales. Es importante recordar que estas conclusiones se basan en la percepción de los participantes y pueden no reflejar las de todos los hablantes de español o sueco. / This study evaluates the linguistic attitudes of teachers of Spanish as a foreign language in Sweden towards forms of gender neutrality, in various contexts and formats, focusing on the morphological innovations -e, -x, -@, and doublets. Additionally, it compares attitudes between teachers who have Spanish as a mother language and those whose mother language is Swedish. The results reflect a widespread preference for the masculine generic, rooted in traditional linguistic norms and social conventions. A higher acceptance of doublets in informal contexts is observed, indicating openness to inclusive language practices. Differences in attitudes are observed between teachers who have Spanish as a mother language and those whose mother language is Swedish. Teachers with Swedish as their mother language tend to show greater acceptance towards inclusive language forms but resistance towards the -e morpheme in oral situations. Mother language, linguistic culture, and grammatical norms influence the perceptions of inclusive language. It is concluded that linguistic attitudes towards gender-neutral forms vary depending on the context and on individual experiences. These conclusions emphasize the complexity of attitudes in the context of Spanish teaching in Sweden, highligting that attitudes may differ according to the communication context, whether formal or informal, as well as if the comunnication is oral or written. These findings align with the idea that linguistic attitudes vary based on cultural factors. It is important to note that these conclusions are based on the participant’s perceptions and may not reflect those of all Spanish or Swedish speakers. The study provides, as well, a solid foundation for future research, enphasizing the importance of considering factors such as mother language, communication context, and sociocultural dynamics in the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language. This allows to develop training programs with inclusive linguistic strategies and promotes necessary discussions.