Alphabetical Entries: J

goliath grouper.

this term, which portrays Jewish women as self-centered, materialistic, and manipulative, appears in jokes and everyday conversation as well as in anti-Semitic graffiti. Many people use the term without realizing its powerfully damaging effects; tolerance of it has been puzzlingly strong. Some claim it is no coincidence that the term appeared when Jewish women were beginning to establish a place for themselves in Judaism, serving as rabbis and cantors, as well as in the commercial world.

unacceptable; the use of it does not pass for wit.

Macmillan Publishing's Guidelines for Creating Positive Sexual and Racial Images in Educational Materials says, "This has become a cliché used to describe the woman—Jewish or not—who tends to dominate the home, invest herself completely in her children and the preparation of food, and who views herself as a martyr. This image—a distortion of the traditionally strong role of Jewish women in the home—is degrading to Jews and women alike, and should be avoided." It seems possible, however, that the term still has some limited nonpejorative uses—when women use it in self-reference or when women reclaim the strength and courage of the Jewish mother. See insider/outsider rule.

Sanford Berman (Prejudices and Antipathies ) writes, "On the face of it, 'Jewish Question' may seem a bland, neutral term. Yet it is just the opposite, masquerading ruthlessness and inhumanity—the age-old and altogether vicious practice of scapegoating—in a deceptive, leisurely abstraction. The 'question' facing the soon-to-be-incinerated millions was not one to be calmly debated. It was fundamental: life or death." He says that Joseph Goebbels predicted in 1938, "The Jewish question will in a short time find a solution satisfying the sentiment of the German people." See also final solution.

the biblical story of Jezebel depicts a murdering, controlling, rapacious person who is primarily an amoral manipulator and only secondarily a woman. Instead of focusing on Jezebel's viciousness, the common connotation of a jezebel is to her sexuality (dictionaries define her as a shameless or abandoned woman) when in fact she did not use sex to carry out her evil deeds. Consider using instead evil influence, villain, murderer, bully, plotter, scourge of the human race, devil in human form/shape.

potter, lathe-worker.

a person who participates in a jihad, which is a "striving in the path of God" in one of four ways: the jihad of self-perfection against vice, passion, and ignorance; the jihad of the tongue; the jihad of the hand; and the jihad of the sword. Although "jihad" can mean the struggle to live a moral and virtuous life, spreading and defending Islam, or fighting injustice and oppression, "jihad" is commonly understood by the average person today as making war on behalf of Islam—thus confusing it with terrorism. "By calling the groups we are fighting 'jihadis,' we confirm their own—and the worldwide Muslim public's—perception that they are religious. They are not. They are terrorists, hirabists, who consistently violate the most fundamental teachings of the Holy Koran and mainstream Islamic scholars and imams" (Chris Seiple, Christian Science Monitor). See also Islam, Islamophobia, Muslim.

from the obsolete derogatory name for a black man, "Jim Crow" came to be a synonym for "racist," as in "Jim Crow laws." See also Jane Crow.

there is nothing wrong with using this jim-dandy phrase, but be aware of how many such expressions are male-based. Balance them with female-based expressions, creative expressions of your own, or sex-neutral alternatives: terrific, super, wonderful, marvelous, fantastic, sensational, fabulous, stupendous, out of this world, far out, extraordinary. See also sex-linked expressions.

the origins of these terms are unclear, but because they appear sex-linked, alternatives may be needed on occasion. For "jimjams," use jitters. For "jimmies" use candy sprinkles. For "jimmy" (n./v.) use crowbar/burglar's crowbar; pry/pry up.

both statutory and administrative law now prohibit the use of sex- and age-referents in employment practices.

see patient as Job, poor as Job/poor as Job's turkey.

supervisor, watch manufacturing supervisor; boss.

although both sexes are referred to as jocks today, the tendency is still to think first of a man when one hears the word. The old "jock/jockum" meant "penis." Its meaning is particularly clear in "jockstrap." See also jockette.

jockey. Some racing stewards have actually used the silly "jockette"—a pitiful thing to have done to a decent word like "jockey" and to the talented women who have made it into the ranks of professional jockeys. See also feminine word endings.

joe and "Joe Blow" have long meant an average, typical, or ordinary man, while "schmo" comes from the Yiddish for "jerk" and "Joe six-pack" is a classist stereotype of the football-and-beer guy that we all know is out there somewhere. These are sexist insofar as there are no parallel terms for women, and two of them aren't complimentary. Less casual inclusive synonyms for both sexes are Jane Doe/John Doe, Jane Q. Citizen/John Q. Citizen, and Jane Q. Public/John Q. Public.

bathroom, restroom, toilet, washroom, privy, water closet, lavatory, W.C., comfort station, outhouse.

some countries are personified by men (the United States' Uncle Sam), while others are personified by women (France's Marianne). You can balance the male John Bull image with a female one: Great Britain is personified by Britannia, a far more familiar and widely used national symbol that represents all of Great Britain, not just England.

acceptable legal term; the female form is Jane Doe. The only caution is not to use "John Doe" pseudogenerically to mean "average man." See also average man, common man, man in the street, John Q. Public.

there is nothing wrong with using this expression but be aware of how many like it are male-based. Balance their use with female-based expressions, creative expressions of your own, or sex-neutral alternatives: signature, name, moniker. See also sex-linked expressions.

acceptable when used with Jane Q. Citizen/Jane Q. Public, these terms are sexist when used pseudogenerically to mean "the average citizen/person." See also average man, common man, man in the street.

hospital gown.

confederate soldier. Retain when used in historical material.

there is nothing wrong with this phrase, but be aware of how many such expressions are male-based. Balance their use with female-based expressions, creative expressions of your own, or sex-neutral alternatives: newcomer, new arrival/face, upstart, nouveau riche, arriviste, outsider, social climber, rookie, greenhorn. See also sex-linked expressions.