Gender-neutral language

{{Short description|Language avoiding bias towards a sex or social gender}} {{Distinguish|Genderless language|Grammatical gender}} '''Gender-neutral language''' or '''gender-inclusive language'''<ref> {{Cite web |title=Gender Inclusive Language & Pronouns {{!}} LGBTQ+ Pride Center |url=https://lgbtqpridecenter.ucmerced.edu/education-workshops/education/gender-inclusive-language-pronouns |access-date=2026-03-29 |website=lgbtqpridecenter.ucmerced.edu}} </ref> is language that avoids reference towards a particular sex or gender. In English, this includes use of nouns that are not gender-specific to refer to roles or professions,<ref name="Fowler 2015 gender-neutral language">{{Cite book|last1=Fowler|first1=H.W.|title=Fowler's Dictionary of Modern English Usage|date=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-966135-0|editor1-last=Butterfield|editor1-first=Jeremy}}</ref> formation of phrases in a coequal manner, and discontinuing the collective use of male or female terms.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarrasin|first1=Oriane|last2=Gabriel|first2=Ute|last3=Gygax|first3=Pascal|date=2012-01-01|title=Sexism and Attitudes Toward Gender-Neutral Language|url=https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|journal=Swiss Journal of Psychology|volume=71|issue=3|pages=113–4|doi=10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|issn=1421-0185|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

For example, the words ''policeman'' and ''stewardess'' are gender-specific job titles; corresponding gender-neutral terms are ''police officer'' and ''flight attendant''. Some terms, such as ''salesman'', which contain the component ''-man'' but have traditionally been used to refer to persons regardless of gender, are now seen as gender-specific and discouraged in favour of terms such as ''salesperson''.{{cn|date=March 2026}} An example of forming phrases in a coequal manner would be using ''husband and wife'' instead of ''man and wife''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarrasin|first1=Oriane|last2=Gabriel|first2=Ute|last3=Gygax|first3=Pascal|date=2012-01-01|title=Sexism and Attitudes Toward Gender-Neutral Language|url=https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|journal=Swiss Journal of Psychology|volume=71|issue=3|page=113|doi=10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|issn=1421-0185|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Examples of discontinuing the collective use of terms in English when referring to those with unknown or indeterminate gender as singular ''they'', and using ''humans'', ''people'', or ''humankind'', instead of ''man'' or ''mankind.''<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sarrasin|first1=Oriane|last2=Gabriel|first2=Ute|last3=Gygax|first3=Pascal|date=2012-01-01|title=Sexism and Attitudes Toward Gender-Neutral Language|url=https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|journal=Swiss Journal of Psychology|volume=71|issue=3|page=114|doi=10.1024/1421-0185/a000078|issn=1421-0185|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== History == The notion that parts of the English language were sexist was brought to mainstream attention in Western English cultures by feminists in the 1970s.<ref name="Blaubergs 135–147">{{Cite journal|last=Blaubergs|first=Maija S.|date=1980-01-01|title=An analysis of classic arguments against changing sexist language|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148068580920710|journal=Women's Studies International Quarterly|series=The voices and words of women and men|language=en|volume=3|issue=2|pages=135–147|doi=10.1016/S0148-0685(80)92071-0|issn=0148-0685|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Simultaneously, the link between language and ideologies (including traditional gender ideologies) was becoming apparent in the academic field of linguistics.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Mills|first1=Sarah|title=Language, gender and feminism: theory, methodology and practice|last2=Mullany|first2=Louise|date=2011|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-48595-1|location=Abingdon, Oxon|page=135|oclc=500783823}}</ref> In 1975, the National Council of Teachers of English published a set of guidelines on the use of "non-sexist" language.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Statement on Gender and Language|url=https://ncte.org/statement/genderfairuseoflang/|access-date=2021-01-30|website=NCTE|date=25 October 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Alter|first1=Lance|last2=Rutherford|first2=Millicent|date=1976|title=Forum: Do the NCTE Guidelines on Non-Sexist Use of Language Serve a Positive Purpose?|journal=The English Journal|volume=65|issue=9|pages=10–13|doi=10.2307/815740|jstor=815740|issn=0013-8274}}</ref> Backlash ensued, as did the debate on whether gender-neutral language ought to be enforced.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Blaubergs 135–147"/> In Britain, feminist Maija Blaubergs' countered eight commonly used oppositional arguments in 1980.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Blaubergs|first=Maija S.|date=1980-01-01|title=An analysis of classic arguments against changing sexist language|url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148068580920710|journal=Women's Studies International Quarterly|series=The voices and words of women and men|language=en|volume=3|issue=2|page=138|doi=10.1016/S0148-0685(80)92071-0|issn=0148-0685|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1983, New South Wales, Australia required the use of ''they'' in place of ''he'' and ''she'' in subsequent laws.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Newman|first1=Benjamin J.|last2=DeMora|first2=Stephanie L.|last3=Reny|first3=Tyler T.|date=2020|title=Female Empowerment and the Politics of Language: Evidence Using Gender-Neutral Amendments to Subnational Constitutions|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-political-science/article/female-empowerment-and-the-politics-of-language-evidence-using-genderneutral-amendments-to-subnational-constitutions/C0B55784FAD76FA80E4510E8CBD91138|journal=British Journal of Political Science|language=en|volume=51|issue=4 |pages=1761–1772|doi=10.1017/S0007123420000332|s2cid=225425815 |issn=0007-1234|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 1985, the Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion passed a motion for all its ensuing publications to include "non-sexist" language.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Milne|first=Pamela J.|date=2016-06-25|title=Women and words: The use of non-sexist, inclusive language in the Academy|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000842988901800103|journal=Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses|language=en|volume=18|issue=1|pages=25–35|doi=10.1177/000842988901800103|s2cid=152272667|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref> By 1995, academic institutions in Canada and Britain had implemented "non-sexist" language policies.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Milne|first=Pamela J.|date=2016-06-25|title=Women and words: The use of non-sexist, inclusive language in the Academy|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000842988901800103|journal=Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses|language=en|volume=18|issue=1|pages=33–4|doi=10.1177/000842988901800103|s2cid=152272667|via=|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=":3"/> More recently, revisions to the Women's Press publications of ''The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing'' and ''The A–Z of Non-Sexist Language'' were made to de-radicalize the original works.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Cameron|first=Deborah|title=On Language and Sexual Politics|publisher=Routledge|year=2006|isbn=978-0-203-71536-9|location=London and New York|page=20}}</ref> In 2006, "non-sexist" was challenged: the term refers solely to the absence of sexism.<ref name=":3" /> In 2018, the State of New York enacted policy to formally use the gender-neutral terms ''police officer'' and ''firefighter''.<ref name=":2" />[[File:Sign explaining inclusive language in spanish.jpg|thumb|right|Sign with specific suggestions for gender-neutral language use in Spanish at a feminist protest in Madrid, Spain]]

==Terminology and views==

===General=== {{globalize|section|English language|date=November 2023}} Historically, the use of masculine pronouns in place of generic pronouns was regarded as non-sexist, but various forms of gender-neutral language became a common feature in written and spoken forms of many languages in the late twentieth century. Feminists argue that previously the practice of assigning masculine gender to generic antecedents stemmed from language reflecting "the prejudices of the society in which it evolved, and English evolved through most of its history in a male-centered, patriarchal society."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.stetson.edu/secure/history/hy10302/nongenderlang.html |title=Some Notes on Gender-Neutral Language |access-date=April 16, 2012 |author=Carolyn Jacobson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714235019/https://www2.stetson.edu/secure/history/hy10302/nongenderlang.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 }}</ref> During the 1970s, feminists Casey Miller and Kate Swift created a manual, ''The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing'', on gender neutral language that was set to reform the existing sexist language that was said to exclude and dehumanize women.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Gender neutral language - Nonbinary.org|url = http://nonbinary.org/wiki/Gender_neutral_language#cite_note-2|website = nonbinary.org|access-date = 2015-11-25|archive-date = 2015-11-25|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151125174805/http://nonbinary.org/wiki/Gender_neutral_language#cite_note-2}}</ref> In 1995, the Women's Press published ''The A–Z of Non-Sexist Language'', by Margaret Doyle.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Cameron|first=Deborah|title=On Language and Sexual Politics|publisher=Routledge|year=2006|isbn=978-0-203-71536-9|location=London and New York|page=21}}</ref> Both publications were written by American authors, originally without the consideration of the British-English dialect.<ref name=":0" /> Many feminist efforts were made to reform the androcentric language.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = The Use and Evolution of Gender Neutral Language in an Intentional Community|last = Flanagan|first = J.|date = March 1, 2013|journal = Women & Gender}}</ref> It has become common in some academic and governmental settings to rely on gender-neutral language to convey inclusion of all sexes or genders (gender-inclusive language).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gb.uni-koeln.de/gleichstellung_an_der_universitaet/gendersensible_sprache/index_ger.html | title=Leitfaden der Gleichstellungsbeauftragten zur geschlechtersensiblen und inklusiven Sprache | publisher=Gleichstellungsbeauftragte an der Universität zu Köln | date=21 January 2014 | access-date=9 August 2015 | language=de | archive-date=22 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092018/http://www.gb.uni-koeln.de/gleichstellung_an_der_universitaet/gendersensible_sprache/index_ger.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.marquette.edu/wac/neutral/NeutralInclusiveLanguage.shtml | title=Tips for Using Inclusive, Gender Neutral Language | publisher=Marquette University | access-date=April 16, 2012}}</ref>

Various languages employ different means to achieve gender neutrality: * Gender neutrality in languages with grammatical gender * Gender neutrality in genderless languages * Gender neutrality in English

Other particular issues are also discussed: * Gender marking in job titles * Gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns

===Gender indication=== There are different approaches to forming a "gender-neutral language": *Creating alternative gender-neutral pronouns, such as "hir" or "hen" in Swedish.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Gustafsson Sendén|first1=Marie|last2=Bäck|first2=Emma A.|last3=Lindqvist|first3=Anna|date=2015|title=Introducing a gender-neutral pronoun in a natural gender language: the influence of time on attitudes and behavior|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|language=English|volume=6|page=893|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00893|issn=1664-1078|pmc=4486751|pmid=26191016|doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== Specific examples ===

* NASA now prefers the use of "crewed" and "uncrewed" instead of "manned" and "unmanned", including when discussing historical spaceflight (except proper nouns).<ref>{{cite web |title=Style Guide for NASA History Authors and Editors |url=https://history.nasa.gov/styleguide.html |access-date=2019-11-02}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |+Examples of gender indication in occupational titles<ref>{{Cite web|title = Guidelines for gender-neutral language - Language articles - Language Portal of Canada |url = https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/style/nonsexistguidelines-eng.html |website = www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca|access-date = 2015-11-03 |author=Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810140347/https://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/style/nonsexistguidelines-eng.html |archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> !Gendered title !Gender-neutral title |- |businessman, businesswoman |business person/person in business, business people/people in business |- |chairman, chairwoman |chair, chairperson |- |mailman, mailwoman, postman, postwoman |mail carrier, letter carrier, postal worker |- |policeman, policewoman |police officer |- |salesman, saleswoman |salesperson, sales associate, salesclerk, sales executive |- |steward, stewardess |flight attendant |- |waiter, waitress |server, table attendant, waitron |- |fireman, firewoman |firefighter |- |barman, barwoman |bartender |}

== Controversy == {{expand section|date=February 2021}}

=== Argentina === Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, implemented a policy in June 2022 that forbade public educational institutions from using gender-neutral language, deeming it grammatically incorrect and causing developmental learning issues for students.<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Lankes |first=Ana |date=2022-07-20 |title=In Argentina, One of the World's First Bans on Gender-Neutral Language |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/world/americas/argentina-gender-neutral-spanish.html |access-date=2022-10-13 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the Spanish language nouns are either feminine (usually ending in "a") or masculine (usually ending in "o"), but in recent years gender-neutral endings like "x" and "e" have gained popularity; for example, "Latinx" or "Latine" have become the gender-neutral options for the previously binary "Latino" or "Latina."<ref name=":22">{{Cite news |title=A New Effort In Argentina Seeks To Make Spanish Nouns Gender Neutral |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/12/08/786135746/a-new-effort-in-argentina-seeks-to-make-spanish-nouns-gender-neutral |access-date=2022-11-25}}</ref> Buenos Aires' objection to gender-neutral language in the classroom stems from concerns about linguistic correctness and preservation of the Spanish language.<ref name=":12" /> Those who support the development of gender-neutral language have expressed frustration with the male-dominance of the Spanish language: a group of students who are all female is "compañeras," but if one male student enters the group, the grammatically correct term for the students becomes "compañeros" with the masculine "o" ending.<ref name=":22" />

=== Brazil ===

The professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT) Maria Inês da Silva Barbosa left the Municipal Conference of the Unified Health System (SUS), held in a hotel in Cuiabá, in 30 July 2025, after Mayor Abilio Brunini (PL) vetoed the use of a neutral pronoun.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-30 |title=Professora abandona conferência após prefeito vetar uso de pronome neutro |url=https://g1.globo.com/mt/mato-grosso/noticia/2025/07/30/video-professora-da-ufmt-abandona-conferencia-de-saude-apos-prefeito-de-cuiaba-vetar-uso-de-pronome-neutro.ghtml |website=G1 |language=pt-BR}}</ref>

A Law, sanctioned by President Lula on November 17 of 2025, instituted the National Plain Language Policy (Law 15.263/25),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-25 |title=Linguagem neutra existe, sim |url=https://jornal.unesp.br/2025/11/25/linguagem-neutra-existe-sim/ |website=Jornal da Unesp |language=pt-BR}}</ref> and in its item XI, Article 5, it states "not to use new forms of inflection of gender and number of words in the language in contravention of the consolidated grammatical rules, {{Ill|vocabulary orthographic of the Portuguese language|lt=Vocabulary Orthographic of the Portuguese Language|pt|vocabulário ortográfico da língua portuguesa}} (Volp) and the Orthographic Agreement of the Portuguese Language, promulgated by Decree No. 6,583, of September 29, 2008".<ref>{{Cite web |title=L15263 |url=https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2023-2026/2025/lei/l15263.htm |website=www.planalto.gov.br}}</ref>

Supreme Federal Court (STF) has revoked several laws and law proposals against the use of gender-neutral language in schools, either municipally or state-wide,<ref name="STF invalida">{{Cite web |title=STF invalida leis municipais que proibiam uso de linguagem neutra nas escolas |url=https://noticias.stf.jus.br/postsnoticias/stf-invalida-leis-municipais-que-proibiam-uso-de-linguagem-neutra-nas-escolas/ |language=en}}</ref> since 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-10 |title=Linguagem neutra – STF fecha questão: é proibido proibir |url=https://revistaforum.com.br/politica/linguagem-neutra-stf-fecha-questao-e-proibido-proibir/ |website=Revista Fórum |language=pt-br}}</ref> The justices analyzed an Allegation of Non-Compliance with a Fundamental Precept filed by the {{Ill|National LGBTI Alliance|pt|Aliança Nacional LGBTI}} and the Brazilian Association of Homotransaffective Families during a virtual plenary session.<ref>{{Cite news |title=STF derruba leis municipais que proibiam linguagem neutra |url=https://rtbrasil.com/noticias/12142-stf-derruba-leis-municipais-proibiam/}}</ref><ref name="STF invalida"/> The organizations argue that the legislation violates the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, as well as the freedom to learn and professorship,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Roldāo |first=João Marcos L. |date=2025-01-01 |title=O trabalho que faz sofrer, o sofrimento que faz trabalhar: o trabalho dos técnicos-administrativos nas universidades públicas |url=https://repositorio.ufscar.br/server/api/core/bitstreams/6cf18ecf-87b4-4a8a-a4aa-1bcd224ffade/content |journal=Repositório Institucional da UFSCar}}</ref> and the ban entails censorship of teachers,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Brevilheri |first=Ursula Boreal Lopes |author-link=:pt:Ursula Boreal Lopes Brevilheri |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbCWEQAAQBAJ |title=As armas da cisnormatividade contra a linguagem não binária no Brasil |date=2025-11-10 |publisher=16 Tons |isbn=978-65-5453-527-4 |language=pt-BR}}</ref> affecting the dignity of non-binary people — those who do not identify exclusively as male or female — by prohibiting them from using the language in which they feel most comfortable.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-25 |title=STF derruba restrições municipais ao ensino em linguagem neutra |url=https://www.brasil247.com/brasil/stf-derruba-restricoes-municipais-ao-ensino-em-linguagem-neutra |website=Brasil 247 |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Silva |first1=Wagner Pereira |last2=Almeida |first2=Fernando José de |date=2026-01-01 |title=A mutualidade como forma de acolhimento de jovens LGBTQIAPN+ em espaços educativos |url=https://revistas.uece.br/index.php/revpemo/article/view/15330/13993 |journal=Práticas Educativas, Memórias e Oralidades - Rev. Pemo |language=pt |volume=8 |article-number=e15330 |doi=10.47149/pemo.v8.e15330 |doi-broken-date=4 May 2026 |issn=2675-519X}}</ref> The institutions recall Supreme Court decisions that recognized the rights of the LGBTI+ population.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vittorazzi |first=Davi |date=2026-05-01 |title=STF tem 4 votos para derrubar lei que proíbe a linguagem neutra em escolas |url=https://revistaoeste.com/politica/stf-tem-4-votos-para-derrubar-lei-que-proibe-a-linguagem-neutra-em-escolas/ |website=Revista Oeste |language=pt-BR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title=Sage Journals: Discover world-class research |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/action/cookieAbsent |website=Sage Journals |language=en |doi=10.1177/14782103251381519}}</ref>

=== Canada === University of Toronto psychology professor Jordan Peterson uploaded a video to YouTube expressing his opposition to Bill C-16 – ''An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code'', a bill introduced by Justin Trudeau's government, in October 2016.<ref name="Airton 790–810">{{Cite journal|last=Airton|first=Lee|date=2018-08-18|title=The de/politicization of pronouns: implications of the No Big Deal Campaign for gender-expansive educational policy and practice|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540253.2018.1483489|journal=Gender and Education|language=en|volume=30|issue=6|pages=790–810|doi=10.1080/09540253.2018.1483489|s2cid=149592656|issn=0954-0253|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The proposed piece of legislation was to add the terms "gender identity" and "gender expression" to the ''Canadian Human Rights Act'' and to the ''Criminal Code''<nowiki/>'s hate crimes provisions.<ref name="Airton 790–810"/> In the video, Peterson argued that legal protection of gender pronouns results in "compelled speech", which would violate the right to freedom of expression outlined in the ''Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms''.<ref name="Airton 790–810"/> In the view of Peterson, legal pronoun protections would force an individual to say something that one opposes. The bill passed in the House of Commons and the Senate, becoming law upon receiving royal assent on 19 June 2017.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kirkup|first1=Kyle|last2=Airton|first2=Lee|last3=McMillan|first3=Allison|last4=DesRochers|first4=Jacob|date=August 2020|title=The Aftermath of Human Rights Protections: Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and the Socio-Legal Regulation of School Boards|journal=Canadian Journal of Law and Society |volume=35|issue=2|pages=245–268|doi=10.1017/cls.2020.7|s2cid=225303461|issn=0829-3201|doi-access=free}}</ref> In response to the passing of the bill, Peterson has stated he will not use gender-neutral pronouns if asked in the classroom by a student.<ref name="Airton 790–810"/>

=== France === In 2021, controversy arose in France when the dictionary ''Petit Robert'' included the gender neutral term {{lang|fr|iel}} – composed of {{lang|fr|il}} ('he') and {{lang|fr|elle}} ('she'). The dictionary's director, Charles Bimbenet, stated it was added as researchers noted "an increasing usage" of the neutral pronoun in "a large body of texts drawn from various sources."<ref>{{Cite news |title=A French dictionary added a gender-neutral pronoun. Opponents say it's too 'woke.' |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/11/18/iel-petit-robert-gender-neutral-woke/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

Some French politicians opposed the new addition. Jean-Michel Blanquer, the French Minister of Education, tweeted: "inclusive writing is not the future of the French language."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wagener |first=Albin |title=No need to 'iel': why France is so angry about a gender-neutral pronoun |url=http://theconversation.com/no-need-to-iel-why-france-is-so-angry-about-a-gender-neutral-pronoun-173304 |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=The Conversation |date=8 December 2021 |language=en}}</ref> Similarly, François Jolivet, a French politician, accused the dictionary of pushing a "woke" ideology that "undermines [their] common language and its influence", in a letter addressed to the Académie Française.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New word "iel", a combination of he and she, added to French dictionary ignites fierce debate |url=https://www.9news.com.au/world/sparks-fly-as-neutral-pronoun-included-in-french-dictionary/aa8f205f-d10e-4c6a-a413-4f4bbb83435b |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=www.9news.com.au|date=20 November 2021 }}</ref>

=== Italy === The Italian language contains grammatical gender where nouns are either masculine or feminine with corresponding gendered pronouns, which differs from English in that nouns do not encode grammatical gender.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Language, gender and sexism: an overview on English and Italian languages |url=https://thesis.unipd.it/handle/20.500.12608/11554 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=thesis.unipd.it}}</ref> For example, "tavola" (in English ''table'') in Italian is feminine. Developing a gender-neutral option in Italian is linguistically challenging because the Italian language marks only the masculine and feminine grammatical genders: "friends" in Italian is either "amici" or "amiche" where the masculine "-i" pluralized ending is used as an all-encompassing term, and "amiche" with the feminine "-e" pluralized ending refers specifically to a group of female friends.<ref name=":02" /> Italian linguistically derived from Latin, which does contain a third "neuter" or neutral option.<ref name=":02" />

The use of a schwa <ə> has been proposed as a means of creating a gender-neutral option in Italian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Un asterisco sul genere - Consulenza Linguistica - Accademia della Crusca |url=https://accademiadellacrusca.it/it/consulenza/un-asterisco-sul-genere/4018 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=accademiadellacrusca.it}}</ref> Some Italian linguists have signed a petition opposing the use of the schwa on the basis that it is not linguistically correct.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Catarinella, P., Malek, M. R. A., Kram, S., & Ridzuan, M. U. M. |date=2022 |title=The "Schwa" and its Impact on Italian Language and Society |url=https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/15021/the-schwa-and-its-impact-on-italian-language-and-society.pdf |journal=International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=1978–1997}}</ref> Other solutions proposed are the asterisk <*>, the <x>, the at sign <@>, the <nowiki><u> and omitting gender-specific suffixes altogether.</nowiki><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kenda |first=Jana |date=Dec 23, 2022 |title=Inclusive Grammar in Italian: Linguistic Alternatives and Public Opinion |journal=Linguistica |issue=62 |page=214 |doi=10.4312/linguistica.62.1-2.205-222 |s2cid=256169781 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

In March 21, 2025, the Italian Ministry of Education mandated that schools in the country ban the use of gender-neutral language, such as asterisks and schwa.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 21, 2025 |title=Italy bans gender-neutral symbols in schools in latest culture clash |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-bans-gender-neutral-symbols-schools-latest-culture-clash-2025-03-21/ |access-date=July 26, 2025 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Caldero |first=Rocco |date=March 25, 2025 |title=Italy Reclaims Tradition with Ban on Gender-Neutral Symbols |url=https://www.riotimesonline.com/italy-reclaims-tradition-with-ban-on-gender-neutral-symbols/ |access-date=July 26, 2025 |website=The Rio Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Philippines === The Supreme Court of the Philippines in a 16-page judgment promulgated in October 2023, reminded "judicial officers to be circumspect in their language after it observed that both the judge and prosecutor in the case used nongender-fair language. Together, the foregoing reinforces the trope that women are out to entrap men into marriage. The disparaging language shifts the blame on the woman for marrying the unfaithful man after getting pregnant as if society did not stigmatize single mothers", Acting Chief Justice Marvic Leonen held.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Bautista|first1=Jane |title=SC reminds judges, lawyers of gender-fair language rule|url= https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1916336/sc-reminds-judges-lawyers-of-gender-fair-language-rule|access-date=March 8, 2024 |publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=March 9, 2024}}</ref>

=== United States === The American English language contains gendered connotations that make it challenging for gender-neutral language to achieve the desired linguistic equality. "Male default" is especially prominent in the United States, and often, when gender-neutral language is used around traditionally male institutions, the neutrality does not prevent people from automatically translating "they" to the default "he."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Atir |first=Stav |date=2022-08-01 |title=Girlboss? Highlighting versus downplaying gender through language |journal=Trends in Cognitive Sciences |language=English |volume=26 |issue=8 |pages=623–625 |doi=10.1016/j.tics.2022.05.001 |issn=1364-6613 |pmid=35697650|s2cid=249537087 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Tensions over gender-neutral language in discussions of pregnancy, such as the use of the term "pregnant people" instead of "pregnant women", have become part of the broader American culture wars.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Emma |date=2021-09-17 |title=The Culture War Over 'Pregnant People' |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/09/pregnant-people-gender-identity/620031/ |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite journal |last=Bojarska |first=Katarzyna |year=2012 |title=Responding to lexical stimuli with gender associations: A Cognitive–Cultural Model |journal=Journal of Language and Social Psychology |volume=32 |page=46 |doi=10.1177/0261927X12463008|s2cid=145006661 }} * {{Cite journal|last1=Chen|first1=Jenn-Yeu|last2=Su|first2=Jui-Ju|date=2010-12-01|title=Differential Sensitivity to the Gender of a Person by English and Chinese Speakers|journal=Journal of Psycholinguistic Research|volume=40|issue=3|pages=195–203|doi=10.1007/s10936-010-9164-9|pmid=21120608|s2cid=38881498|issn=0090-6905}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Gabriel|first1=Ute|last2=Behne|first2=Dawn M.|last3=Gygax|first3=Pascal M.|date=2017-05-17|title=Speech vs. reading comprehension: an explorative study of gender representations in Norwegian|journal=Journal of Cognitive Psychology|volume=29|issue=7|pages=795–808|doi=10.1080/20445911.2017.1326923|hdl=11250/2491489 |s2cid=54827137|issn=2044-5911|hdl-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Gabriel|first1=Ute|last2=Gygax|first2=Pascal M.|last3=Kuhn|first3=Elisabeth A.|date=2018-07-19|title=Neutralising linguistic sexism: Promising but cumbersome?|journal=Group Processes & Intergroup Relations|volume=21|issue=5|pages=844–858|doi=10.1177/1368430218771742|hdl=11250/2582159 |s2cid=150025630|issn=1368-4302|hdl-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Gabriel|first1=Ute|last2=Gygax|first2=Pascal |date=October 2008|title=Can societal language amendments change gender representation? The case of Norway|journal=Scandinavian Journal of Psychology|volume=49|issue=5|pages=451–457|doi=10.1111/j.1467-9450.2008.00650.x|pmid=18452502|issn=0036-5564}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Gustafsson Sendén|first1=Marie|last2=Bäck|first2=Emma A.|last3=Lindqvist|first3=Anna|date=2015-07-01|title=Introducing a gender-neutral pronoun in a natural gender language: the influence of time on attitudes and behavior|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=6|page=893|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00893|pmid=26191016|pmc=4486751|issn=1664-1078|doi-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Lindqvist|first1=Anna|last2=Renström|first2=Emma Aurora|last3=Gustafsson Sendén|first3=Marie|date=2018-10-16|title=Reducing a Male Bias in Language? Establishing the Efficiency of Three Different Gender-Fair Language Strategies|journal=Sex Roles|volume=81|issue=1–2|pages=109–117|doi=10.1007/s11199-018-0974-9|issn=0360-0025|doi-access=free}} * {{Cite journal|last1=Miller|first1=Megan M.|last2=James |first2=Lori E.|date=2009|title=Is the generic pronoun he still comprehended as excluding women?|journal=The American Journal of Psychology|volume=122|issue=4|pages=483–496|doi=10.2307/27784423 |issn=0002-9556|jstor=27784423|pmid=20066927|s2cid=44644673 }} * {{Cite journal|last1=Prewitt-Freilino|first1=Jennifer L.|last2=Caswell|first2=T. Andrew|last3=Laakso|first3=Emmi K.|date=2012|title=The Gendering of Language: A Comparison of Gender Equality in Countries with Gendered, Natural Gender, and Genderless Languages|journal=Sex Roles|volume=66|issue=3–4|pages=268–281|doi=10.1007/s11199-011-0083-5|s2cid=145066913|issn=0360-0025}}

Category:Gender-neutral language Category:Etiquette Category:Sociolinguistics Category:Feminist terminology Category:Linguistic controversies