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Gender Neutral Language

The document discusses guidelines for using gender-neutral language in EU legislation and texts. It recommends omitting gendered nouns like "chairman" and pronouns like "he" or "she" when the gender is unspecified. Instead, it suggests using plural nouns and pronouns, omitting pronouns altogether, or rephrasing sentences to avoid specifying gender where unnecessary. Exceptions are made for cases where the context clearly indicates a specific individual.

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Nastja Vogrinc
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40 views

Gender Neutral Language

The document discusses guidelines for using gender-neutral language in EU legislation and texts. It recommends omitting gendered nouns like "chairman" and pronouns like "he" or "she" when the gender is unspecified. Instead, it suggests using plural nouns and pronouns, omitting pronouns altogether, or rephrasing sentences to avoid specifying gender where unnecessary. Exceptions are made for cases where the context clearly indicates a specific individual.

Uploaded by

Nastja Vogrinc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE

➢ Much existing EU legislation are not gender-neutral (he for


women as well). It is preferable to avoid mentioning gender
in texts.

➢ WAYS OF OMITTING THE GENDER:


✓ By avoiding nouns that appear to assume that a man
rather will perform certain role: chairman
(spokesperson, chair);
✓ to avoid gender-specific pronouns.

➢ OCCUPATIONS: firefighters / fire brigade; police officer,


craftsperson …

➢ PRONOUNS: If the texts clearly indicate an individual, we


should use gender-specific pronoun: The High
Representative (Baroness Ashton) voiced her objections.

➢ ALTERNATIVES:
✓ For giving instructions, use second person / imperative:
(You should) First turn on your computer.

✓ Use the plural form:


Researches must be objective about their findings.

✓ Omit the pronoun altogether:


The spokesperson voiced his opposition to the amendment.
✓ Substitutions with the or that:

A member of the Court of Auditors may be deprived of the


right to a pension (not his right).

✓ The usage of they/them/their/theirs:


Identify the person responsible and take their advice.

✓ Use 'he or she': could become clumsy! → (s)he; s/he …

✓ Repetition of the noun:


This does not apply when a passenger misses a connecting
flight for which that passenger has a reservation.

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