An Analysis of Gendered versus Sex-Based Language in the Journal of Agricultural Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5032/jae.v66i4.3245Keywords:
Language Use, Queer Theory, Content Analysis, Gender, SexAbstract
Because accurate use of language is important to researchers, we examined the usage of sex and gender-based language in Journal of Agricultural Education (JAE) over a 10-year period (2014-2023). Guided by queer theory, the study challenged the status quo of inaccurate pairing of terms and synonymous use of sex and gender terms. By reviewing the past 10 years of JAE literature, the usage of sex and gender-based language was documented and analyzed. From the population of JAE publications (N = 695), a total of 536 articles (77%) used sex or gender terminology. Methods sections (65%) and results/findings (55%) sections demonstrated a higher presence of sex or gender terms. The terms with a higher presence were male/female (83%) followed by gender (57%). Their frequent use within the journal points to a relevance of reviewing JAE accurate usage of sex and gender terminology. Additionally, a hierarchal dendrogram was provided to demonstrate how terms are paired statistically. Practical suggestions and applications were provided to address areas of improvement for researchers and practitioners. The recommendations provided sought to improve accuracy of sex and gender term usage as well as prioritize practices advancing the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals within agricultural education, broadly defined, research.
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