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The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the world’s largest airline pilot union, has been pushing its members to ditch ‘masculine generalizations’ and other non-inclusive language such as “cockpit.”
The ALPA released an inclusion language guide in 2021 which details different phrases that its members should avoid using, to create an inclusive work environment, particularly for women and LGTBQ+ individuals.
Representing over 70,000 pilots worldwide, the ALPA says inclusive language is crucial to its work.
"Inclusive language in communications is essential to our union’s solidarity and collective strength and is an important factor in maintaining flight safety," the guide reads. "The purpose of this language guide is to offer examples of terms and phrases that promote inclusion and equity."
One language proposal made in the guide is for pilots to use “flight deck” rather than “cockpit,” which the ALPA argues “has been and may be used in a derogatory way to exclude women in the piloting profession.”
The document suggests “many women have heard a variation of ‘It is called a cockpit for a reason’ by a male pilot, suggesting that women do not belong in the piloting profession.”
Elsewhere in the guide, the ALPA advises pilots to avoid using “man” or “men” in terms that should instead be gender neutral, such as swapping out “manpower” for “people/human power.”
Other gendered terms it recommends are swapped out for inclusive alternatives including “guys,” “mother/father,” “husband/wife,” and “boyfriend/girlfriend.”
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The ALPA says these terms are not inclusive of women, transgender people, and people with different gender identities.
Speaking to Fox News, which first shared details of the guide, the ALPA did not appear to address the document specifically but reiterated that its inclusionary policies are an important part of creating a strong community of pilots.
"Flying is the safest mode of transportation in the world thanks in large part to airline pilots, professionals that are all held to the highest training and qualification standards,” a spokesperson said. “There are real threats to aviation safety like efforts to replace pilots with automation or lower training and experience standards, but opening the doors of opportunity to ensure we have a robust supply of qualified aviators isn't one of them.”
