sex-linked expressions

our rich and colorful language contains hundreds of striking, evocative, and useful metaphors, expressions, and figures of speech. As is true of the rest of the language, the sex-linked among these phrases are dominated by male images. There is nothing wrong with any of them per se, but this sourcebook lists several dozen expressions with comments and possible alternatives, not so that they will be removed from the language, but so that you will be aware of how many such expressions there are. It is the story of Lilliput again: one Lilliputian is harmless enough, but an army of them can overtake a Gulliver (Marie Shear). Each individual male-based expression is acceptable; to use only or principally male metaphors is not. Aware of their weight, you can then use only the most dynamic and appropriate of the male-based expressions, otherwise creating original ones of your own, using neutral or female-based expressions, or choosing from among listed alternatives for the less important terms. In the end, this attention to literary expressions improves our writing; many of the old phrases have become clichés; readers and audiences are sparked by fresh, new uses of language. And when we do use the time-tested expressions, we will have first given them a good sharp look to make sure they are exactly what we need.