The Bittersweet Life

Episode 579: Are Romance Languages Sexist?


Listen Later

Are romance languages sexist? On this episode, we discuss the puzzling and seemingly discriminatory aspects of languages like Italian and French.

For example:

Why do inanimate objects have a gender?

Why, in Italian, must you refer to a group of people as entirely male even if there is only one man and 99 women?

Why, in French, are there only recently female versions of professional occupations?

Join us for this probing yet light-hearted discussion.

***Katy's sister Dana has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 agressive brain cancer. To help with the staggering medical costs—her specialist is outside her insurance network—as well of the costs of temporarily relocating to San Francsico for her treatments, please consider donating to her GoFundMe. Anything you can contribute will be extremely helpful. Thank you.***

***The podcast mentioned on this episode is The Europeans (a non-boring podcast about European politics!), hosted by Dominic Kraemer and Katy Lee. Find their latest episode here or wherever you listen to our show.***

-------------------------------------

COME TO ROME WITH US: For the third year in a row, we are hosting an intimate group of listeners for a magical and unforgettable week in Rome, this October 2025! Discover the city with us as your guides, seeing a side to Rome tourists almost never see. Find out more here.

ADVERTISE WITH US: Reach expats, future expats, and travelers all over the world. Send us an email to get the conversation started.

BECOME A PATRON: Pledge your monthly support of The Bittersweet Life and receive awesome prizes in return for your generosity! Visit our Patreon site to find out more.

TIP YOUR PODCASTER: Say thanks with a one-time donation to the podcast hosts you know and love. Click here to send financial support via PayPal. (You can also find a Donate button on the desktop version of our website.) The show needs your support to continue.

START PODCASTING: If you are planning to start your own podcast, consider Libsyn for your hosting service! Use this affliliate link to get two months free, or use our promo code SWEET when you sign up.

SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Click here to find us on a variety of podcast apps.

WRITE A REVIEW: Leave us a rating and a written review on iTunes so more listeners can find us.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: If you have a question or a topic you want us to address, send us an email here. You can also connect to us through Facebook, and Instagram. Tag #thebittersweetlife with your expat story for a chance to be featured!

NEW TO THE SHOW? Don't be afraid to start with Episode 1: OUTSET

BOOK: Want to read Tiffany's book, Midnight in the Piazza? Learn more here or order on Amazon.

TOUR ROME: If you're traveling to Rome, don't miss the chance to tour the city with Tiffany as your guide!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Bittersweet LifeBy Expat, Repat, Travel, Rome, Seattle, Books, Art, Italy, Wonder

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

294 ratings


More shows like The Bittersweet Life

View all
Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

Travel with Rick Steves

181 Listeners

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,652 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,049 Listeners

Design Matters with Debbie Millman by Design Matters Media

Design Matters with Debbie Millman

1,221 Listeners

Song Exploder by Hrishikesh Hirway

Song Exploder

5,959 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,879 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,629 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,564 Listeners

Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler by Condé Nast Traveler

Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler

632 Listeners

Inside Trader Joe's by Trader Joe's

Inside Trader Joe's

4,284 Listeners

Untold Italy travel podcast by Katy Clarke

Untold Italy travel podcast

650 Listeners

Kelly Corrigan Wonders by Kelly Corrigan

Kelly Corrigan Wonders

3,334 Listeners

Kimberly's Italy Travel by Kimberly Holcombe

Kimberly's Italy Travel

184 Listeners

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

10,537 Listeners

Wild Card with Rachel Martin by NPR

Wild Card with Rachel Martin

740 Listeners