Exercise 27.1 Revising sexist language

The following excerpt is taken from the 1948 edition of Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Baby and Child Care. Read it carefully, noting any language we might now consider sexist. Then try bringing it up-to-date by revising the passage, substituting nonsexist language as necessary.

When you suggest something that doesn’t appeal to your baby, he feels he must assert himself. His nature tells him to. He just says “no” in words or actions, even about things that he likes to do. The psychologists call it “negativism”; mothers call it “that terrible no stage.” But stop and think what would happen to him if he never felt like saying “no.” He’d become a robot, a mechanical man. You wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation to boss him all the time, and he’d stop learning and developing. When he was old enough to go out into the world, to school and later to work, everybody else would take advantage of him, too. He’d never be good for anything.

Question

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The following excerpt is taken from the 1948 edition of Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Baby and Child Care. Read it carefully, noting any language we might now consider sexist. Then try bringing it up-to-date by revising the passage, substituting nonsexist language as necessary.