When writing, avoiding any construct that creates a barrier between you and your readers is a good habit to develop. The more elements of your writing that can potentially alienate a portion of your audience, the less effective your work is going to be. Inclusive writing may be more difficult in some instances. However, it’s the kind of detail that readers truly appreciate.
Gender is often an issue with written work. Unless you’re certain that 100% of your audience will be comprised of a single sex, it’s prudent to keep gender a non-issue. As such, any reference that points out a specific sex should be changed into its gender-neutral equivalent.
Most English writing software can catch these transgressions and will suggest appropriate replacements when one is available. However, it is important for you to recognize when being gender-neutral is necessary or when allowing a particular gender to serve as the subject will be appropriate.
For instance, it’s a poor choice to refer to law enforcers as policemen since women can just as easily be part of the force. On the other hand, saying that a “person gave birth to the child” may not prove as accurate as saying that a “woman gave birth to the child.” With the former, gender is uncertain; with the second, it’s unmistakable, so going ahead and using gender-specific words and phrases should work better.
