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Making letters and emails gender-inclusive
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An English post about the Translation Bureau’s recommendation on gender-inclusive writing in correspondence.
The Translation Bureau recently published a linguistic recommendation on gender inclusivity in correspondence. In it, we describe some simple techniques you can use to write letters and emails that are inclusive of all gender identities.
Understanding gender identity
According to the Translation Bureau’s Gender and sexual diversity glossary, gender identity is “a person's internal and deeply-felt sense of being man or woman, both, or neither.” Someone who doesn’t identify with the masculine or feminine gender is referred to as having a non-binary gender identity.
The solution to a current issue
Our recommendation on gender inclusivity in correspondence addresses a very current issue. Let’s put things into context. In 2017, the Government of Canada announced that Canadians could now indicate a gender other than male or female when applying for a passport. And some provincial governments have also implemented a gender-neutral choice on identification documents like driver’s licences and health cards.
As a result, government departments and other organizations turned to us for advice on the following question: How do you draft correspondence that is inclusive not only of both sexes but also of non-binary gender identities? Our recommendation answers that question.
Gender-inclusive correspondence
Certain parts of a letter have traditionally included an indication of gender. For example, in the inside address, the receiver’s name usually begins with a courtesy title (most often, either “Mr.” or “Ms.”) that reflects the gender of the receiver. And the salutation usually contains the same courtesy title: “Dear Ms. Brown,” “Dear Mr. Smith.”
Moreover, when we don’t know the receiver’s name, we have been told in the past to use a salutation like “Dear Sir or Madam” in order to include both sexes. This last solution is part of what we call “non-sexist writing”: writing that is inclusive of both men and women.
The problem with these formulas is that a non-binary person may not identify with them. In order to be inclusive of both sexes and all gender identities, a new approach is needed.
Our recommendation
Our recommendation explains what we think is the best approach for gender inclusivity when you are writing a letter or an email to the following audiences:
individuals whose gender is unknown
non-binary individuals (that is, individuals who do not identify with either the masculine or the feminine gender)
a diverse group of people (so that no member of the group feels excluded)
In our recommendation, we show you how to make the receiver’s address, the salutation, and the body of your message inclusive. To see what we advise, go to the Bureau’s recommendation on gender-inclusive writing in correspondence.
Of course, in cases where you know the receiver identifies with the masculine or feminine gender, you can rely on the standard practices for business writing and use courtesy titles like “Mr.” or “Ms.” or other indications of gender. But in cases where you don’t know, use the principles outlined in our recommendation, to be as inclusive as possible.
We encourage you to read our recommendation. Do you think it will be useful for your organization or business? Do you already use some of these techniques for gender-inclusive writing in your workplace? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources
Consult in-depth articles on the principles and techniques of inclusive writing in English, and access other resources on the topic. On this page Guidelines for inclusive writing Principles of inclusive writing Gender-inclusive writing techniques Representation of non-binary gender in written communications Resources for inclusive and respectful language Quick reference sheet on inclusive writing Video: Presentation on the guidelines and resources for inclusive writing Additional information Guidelines for inclusive writing The Guidelines for Inclusive Writing are designed to help the federal public service and any other organization produce writing that is free of discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability or any other identity factor. To learn how this content was developed, read the page History of the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing. Not everyone will agree with all the options presented in the Guidelines. The Guidelines were developed to provide a variety of possible solutions to issues you might encounter in drafting an inclusive text. They are not designed to be applied mechanically in every context. For definitions of some of the terms used in the Guidelines, see the page Inclusive writing: Glossary. For information on the principles and techniques of inclusive writing in French, consult the French guidelines for inclusive writing (in French only). Principles of inclusive writing This part of the Guidelines will help you understand the purpose of inclusive writing and will outline principles for writing respectful and non-discriminatory text. Show all Hide all Background and principles The article Inclusive writing: Background and principles provides a definition of inclusive writing and lists five major principles to help you write more inclusively. It includes the following sections: Background Definition of inclusive writing Principles of inclusive writing Principle 1: Use what works best Principle 2: Respect people’s wishes Principle 3: Make choices that are respectful of diversity Principle 4: Write clearly and effectively Principle 5: Be consistent Gender-inclusive writing techniques It’s important to be aware of unnecessary references to gender in your writing and to strive to be gender-inclusive: that is, inclusive of men, women, and individuals of other genders. This section provides a variety of techniques and solutions for producing gender-inclusive texts. Show all Hide all Replacing or omitting a gendered pronoun These articles provide a range of useful techniques to help you avoid the use of the gendered singular pronouns “he” and “she” and their different forms: Pluralize the noun Use the singular “they” Use an article Omit the pronoun Repeat the noun Address the reader directly Use the imperative Use the pronoun “who” Use the pronoun “one” Use the passive voice Use sentence fragments Rewrite the sentence Making correspondence gender-inclusive The article Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emails explains how you can ensure that the parts of a letter or email are gender-inclusive. It includes the following sections: Introduction Inside address Salutation Tailoring your message The article Inclusive writing: Tailoring your message discusses how to tailor your message to make it inclusive, that is, how to adapt a text to meet the needs of a target audience or to take other factors into account. It includes the following sections: General information about tailoring your message Tailoring to recipients Representation of non-binary gender in written communications Members of gender-diverse communities have put forward various techniques for writing English texts that correspond to their realities. The articles below present some of these techniques (including the use of gender-neutral pronouns) and examine issues related to translating gender-inclusive texts from French. Show all Hide all Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals The article Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals presents techniques that you can use in various contexts to make your writing inclusive of non-binary individuals. It includes the following sections: Introduction: Writing to or about non-binary individuals The term “non-binary” General recommendations Always listen and follow the individual’s lead Pronouns and neopronouns The singular “they” Neopronouns Variations in pronoun use Courtesy titles and nouns Gender-inclusive courtesy titles Gender-inclusive nouns Guidelines for translating from French The article Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for translating from French examines issues related to the translation of gender-inclusive texts from French, including the translation of the gender-neutral French pronoun iel. It includes the following sections: Introduction: Gender inclusivity and translation Translating text about non-binary individuals Translating other gender-inclusive text Resources for inclusive and respectful language An important aspect of inclusivity is the use of respectful language. The resources below will help you to find the most appropriate wording for the texts you draft. Show all Hide all Gender-inclusive nouns The article Gender-inclusive writing: Gender-inclusive nouns suggests gender-inclusive alternatives for gendered nouns and expressions of various types. It also examines the issue of pronoun use with gender-inclusive nouns. It includes the following sections: Introduction: Gendered nouns and inclusive solutions Occupational titles Expressions containing “man” or “woman” Terms denoting relationships Use of the singular “they” with gender-inclusive nouns Inclusionary: A collection of gender-inclusive solutions The Inclusionary provides you with a wide variety of gender-inclusive alternatives to gendered words and expressions. The Interdepartmental Working Group on Inclusive Writing developed this tool to be used in conjunction with the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing, in order to maximize the practical options available to users. Inclusionary: A collection of gender-inclusive solutions Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology Designed to promote an understanding of concepts related to equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion, this bilingual guide contains definitions and usage notes for key terms in these fields. It was developed by the Interdepartmental Terminology Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in response to the Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service. Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology Glossaries These glossaries developed by Translation Bureau terminologists provide the English and French equivalents for key terms relating to accessibility and to sexual and gender diversity. Accessibility glossary Gender and sexual diversity glossary Quick reference sheet on inclusive writing This quick reference sheet on inclusive writing summarizes the main principles of inclusive writing and gives examples of practical techniques you can apply. It also contains a list of resources designed to help you write inclusively. Consult it online or download the printable PDF. Video: Presentation on the guidelines and resources for inclusive writing This video presents the guidelines and resources for inclusive writing and provides an overview of the main principles and techniques used to write inclusive texts in English. Additional information Inclusive writing: Glossary History of the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing Inclusive writing – French guidelines and resources (in French only) Collection of Canadian language resources: Gender-inclusive writingSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
The singular “they” is gaining acceptance
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An English blog post on the growing acceptance of the singular “they.”
Everyone knows that in English, third-person singular pronouns are “he,” “she,” “one” and “it.”
We’ve moved past the notion that the male pronouns can stand in for all humans. But that leaves us with constructions like the one below, right?
“Everyone should take his or her books.”
Well, actually, no.
If you do some digging into the history of English usage, you’ll discover that the rule about male pronouns being used to stand in for male and female was an invention of Victorian grammarians. And that it used to be common to use “they” when referring to a person whose gender you didn’t know.
As James Harbeck points out in his blog post called “they”, “… for centuries, English speakers used ‘they’ for gender-indeterminate third person singular, and no one complained.” Even Shakespeare used it.
Things changed in the 1700s
Harbeck goes into a bit of detail, if you want to read more about how this imposed rule came about. Not surprisingly, it was influenced by beliefs, not by speaking and writing patterns that people commonly use.
But singular “they” has stood its ground
In fact, the singular “they” now has 2 uses:
One is for referring to people when you’re not sure of their gender and you don’t want to use “he”
Example: “Everyone should take their books.”
The other is for referring to people who don’t identify with “he” or “she” as a gender
Example: “Chris should take their books.”
There are some fancy names for the two uses, but they can be hard to remember, especially if you aren’t into that aspect of grammar.
Gretchen McCulloch, a linguist, sums it up nicely, saying that the two types of singular “they” are specific and nonspecific. She gave examples in a tweet, quoted below:
“Nonspecific singular they: ‘someone left their umbrella’
Specific singular they: ‘Alex left their umbrella’"
Here’s what people are doing now
The “rule” that “they” can’t be used in the singular is deeply rooted in people’s minds. So are editors, linguists and style guides saying anything about it? Yes, they are, and they’re certainly saying a lot.
It’s been a hot topic among language professionals for some time, and it really peaked in recent years. Here are some of the most significant announcements.
The American Dialect Society declared the singular “they” its Word of the Year in 2015; in 2020, they deemed it to be the Word of the Decade for 2010 to 2019
The Associated Press allows “they” as a singular pronoun when a writer is referring to people who don’t use gendered pronouns
The American Psychological Association, Modern Languages Association and The Chicago Manual of Style (see changes made to sections 5.51 and 5.266) now endorse using both specific and generic singular “they”
The Government of Canada says that gender-specific language should not be used in legislation and offers the singular “they” as one option to avoid this
But it looks funny
You’ll run into people who say that it’s incorrect or it looks funny or they don’t like it. No one is saying we have to use it. But saying someone can’t or shouldn’t use it is wrong.
Learn more
Read up on the history of the singular “they” and the discussions language professionals are having about it so that you can decide what you’ll do (and what you’ll say to people who still say it’s wrong to use). I’ve compiled the following list:
Over 100 articles on the singular “they” (DOC)
And if you’ve found any other resources on the topic, feel free to share them in the comments below.
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Inclusive writing: Glossary
The Guidelines for Inclusive Writing include some terms that are specialized or that are used in a very specific sense. The definitions below can help you to understand some of the principles and techniques presented in the guide. gender “The behavioural, cultural and psychological traits associated with an array of gender identities […] in a given society.” These gender identities include, but are not limited to, man and woman. Source: Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology gender binary The division of gender into the two distinct and unvarying categories of man and woman. gendered “That is organized or separated by gender, or that is associated with a gender,” most often a binary gender (that is, man or woman). Source: Gender and Sexual Diversity Glossary gender identity “A person's internal and deeply felt sense of being a man, a woman, both, neither, or somewhere along the gender spectrum.” Source: Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology gender-inclusive Inclusive of all genders, binary and non-binary. Synonym: gender-neutral generic “they” The pronoun “they” or any of its forms used with a non-specific singular antecedent such as “anyone,” “everyone,” “an employee,” etc. (for example, “Everyone submitted their report”). iel A French gender-neutral neopronoun used by some non-binary individuals. inclusive writing Writing that uses a set of principles and techniques designed to promote inclusion and respect for diversity and to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability or any other identity factor. See the article Inclusive writing: Background and principles. Mx. A gender-neutral courtesy title used by some non-binary individuals and by those who simply prefer not to specify their gender. It is pronounced “miks.” neopronoun A new pronoun created to designate a person who does not identify with masculine or feminine pronouns. non-binary “Referring to a person whose gender identity does not align with a binary understanding of gender such as man or woman.” Source: Gender and Sexual Diversity Glossary singular “they” The pronoun “they” or any of its forms used to refer to a person whose gender is unknown. Also, a pronoun for some individuals with a non-binary gender identity. specific “they” The pronoun “they” or any of its forms used with a specific singular antecedent (for example, “Riley submitted their report”). stereotype A preconceived idea that is widely held, but often inaccurate and offensive, about a race, a nationality, a sexual orientation, a gender identity, an ethnic group or any other identifiable group. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Gender and sexual diversity glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they” Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion TerminologySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Inclusionary: A collection of gender-inclusive solutions
The Inclusionary contains a list of gendered words, along with suggestions for inclusive solutions. It was designed to provide writers, editors and translators with a starting point for writing inclusively in English, in accordance with the techniques outlined in the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing. Not everyone will agree with all the solutions provided in the Inclusionary. Some solutions may not apply in certain contexts. For example, the Inclusionary provides alternatives to gendered terms for family members. Of course, these gendered terms (“mother,” “father,” etc.) are perfectly appropriate in many contexts and don’t need to be consistently avoided. The gender-inclusive alternatives aren’t meant to be used in every context, but rather in those contexts where the gender of the person referred to is non-binary or is unknown. You must therefore exercise judgment in applying the proposed solutions. To learn more about this tool, visit the About the Inclusionary page. Help us improve the Inclusionary by filling out the suggestion form. User guide There are three ways to search this guide: 1. Search in the Inclusionary index Select a letter to browse the Inclusionary alphabetically. Then click on an entry to view its contents. 2. Search by keyword in the Inclusionary Begin typing the word you’re looking for. As you type, a real-time search filter will open the relevant entries and highlight the characters entered in the search field. For best results, type the entire word you’re looking for. Note that the index will disappear when you use the search field. To access the index, simply clear the search field. 3. Use the "Show all" button Click on "Show all" to open up all the entries in the Inclusionary. You can then either browse through the entries or press the "Ctrl" and "F" keys simultaneously on your keyboard and then search by term in the "Search" window of your browser. Unfortunately, this search tip doesn’t work with all types of devices. Top of page Suggestion form User guide Contextual Menu document.getElementById('inclusionary-floating-right-menu').style.display='block';Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emails
On this page Introduction Inside address Salutation Additional information Introduction Gender-inclusive writing is increasingly becoming standard practice in correspondence. To draft gender-inclusive correspondence, omit any references to gender from the various sections of a letter or email when you’re writing to an individual whose gender is unknown to you (Note: Do not assume gender on the basis of an individual’s given name.) a non-binary individual whose courtesy title is unknown to you (see Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals) a group of individuals of diverse genders The paragraphs below explain how to make specific sections of a letter or email gender-inclusive in the cases listed above. (Of course, when you’re writing to a specific individual and you know that person’s gender and courtesy title, you can follow the standard practices for correspondence.) Inside address The inside address is the receiver’s address. It includes the name of the person you’re writing to and the person’s address. The inside address appears on the first page of the letter. When you’re writing a letter or email to a specific person, omit the courtesy title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) in the inside address and on the envelope. Instead, use the person’s given name or names (or initials) and last name, followed by the person’s address. Inside Address Example of a gendered inside address in a letter and an inclusive solution Gendered version Inclusive solution Ms. Justine Teresa Ames 515 Concord Court Gardenton, NS B2X 9F6 Justine Teresa Ames (or J. T. Ames) 515 Concord Court Gardenton, NS B2X 9F6 Envelope Example of a gendered name and address on an envelope and an inclusive solution Gendered version Inclusive solution MS JUSTINE TERESA AMES 515 CONCORD COURT GARDENTON NS B2X 9F6 JUSTINE TERESA AMES (or J T AMES) 515 CONCORD COURT GARDENTON NS B2X 9F6 Note: On envelopes, use the Canada Post format for addresses. (For example, addresses are written all in capitals, with no punctuation.) Salutation When you’re writing a letter or email to a specific person, omit the courtesy title from the salutation. Instead, write “Dear” + given name or names (or initials) + last name + colon. Examples of inclusive salutations for a specific person Gendered version Inclusive solution Dear Mr. Smith: We are happy to inform you that… Dear P. T. Smith: We are happy to inform you that… Dear Ms. Kumar: We have received your request… Dear Amrita Kumar: We have received your request… When writing a letter or email to an unknown receiver or when writing a form letter, use a generic salutation, followed by a colon: Examples of inclusive salutations for an unknown receiver or for a form letter Gendered version Inclusive solution Dear Sir or Madam: Dear Colleague: Dear Sir: Dear Homeowner: Dear Madam or Sir: Dear Constituent: Dear Madam: Dear Customer Service Manager: Note: The noun or nouns after “Dear” are also capitalized. In an email message, in addition to the salutations listed above, you can use the salutation “Hello,” followed by a comma. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individualsSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Embracing the singular “they” as a gender-neutral pronoun
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An English blog post on the use of the singular “they” as a gender-neutral pronoun.
Almost nothing about being transgender has been easy for me. Luckily, I’m English-speaking, which means there’s a very simple way to use the pronouns that work best for me. The singular use of “they” and its other grammatical forms (“them”/“theirs”) is the most comfortable pronoun usage for me. I’m a genderqueer, transgender person whose gender presentation is more masculine-of-centre.
What does all of that mean?
Respect and inclusion
It means I’m a human being just like you, who deserves the same amount of respect as my other colleagues. It also means that I don’t feel comfortable being referred to as “male” or “female”; and while I will accept masculine pronouns, using neutral pronouns when speaking of me is the best way to not exclude me.
We have an incredible capacity and ability to continually grow the English language, adapting and evolving as our society does. We have many opportunities to grow ourselves, interpersonally, at work and in our wider social circles, by being self-aware and self-educating and by moving with the times, as it were.
Evolution of singular “they”
The use of singular “they” has been around for centuries, from William Shakespeare to Jane Austen to Charles Dickens. More recently, singular “they” has become normalized via the protections that have been put in place for genderqueer and gender non-conforming (or non-binary) individuals. This is certainly in part thanks to Canada’s Bill C-16. Having basic human rights protections against discrimination towards transgender persons is a great step forward for Canada.
As editor Gael Spivak also points out in her blog post, singular “they” has been around for hundreds of years, and it’s here to stay. I’ve had many people ask me what the point is, why I make things harder for myself, why I can’t just “pick one” (meaning “he” or “she”), or inquire about the importance of pronouns and their proper usage.
Personal pronouns are linked to identity
Pronouns are important as they teach people how to properly refer to the person they’re speaking about. They show people the best way to respect me. They’re important as a part of my identity and an expression of who I am. I know I’m genderqueer as surely as a cisgender person knows they’re not transgender! I don’t use singular “they” in order to make things harder for others, to be trendy, or to push any kind of agenda. I use it because it makes me feel like myself. It’s the right and most comfortable fit for me.
Perhaps you don’t feel as attached to your pronouns, but perhaps you’ve never had to assert them as valid. Maybe you haven’t had to assert your personal pronouns as a part of your identity while others have purposefully misused these words to attack you … while others have decided for you that, on the basis of their perception of who you are, you aren’t who you say you are.
Learning to use neutral pronouns
One of the problems I’ve encountered in the workplace is how to properly use “they” as a singular pronoun. I don’t demand that everyone in my workplace use singular “they” for me, as I’m also comfortable being referred to in the masculine. However, I do normalize singular “they” when speaking about clients or other colleagues, depending on the context. I do tell people that I use “they” pronouns, I wear a “they/them” pronoun pin with my identification card, and I have produced educational materials on neutral pronouns and how to use them. So, how exactly do you use them? Here are a few examples with some fun facts about myself:
Christopher is not in today; they went to Iceland on vacation.
They have a cat named Agent S.
They are always finding ways to help educate others about LGBTQ2+ issues.
Using singular “they” pronouns, or any of the neopronouns, takes practice and patience. Patience for yourself as you retrain your brain, and patience from the person whose pronouns you’re attempting not to botch. “Practice makes perfect” holds true for the singular use of “they” pronouns. I invite you to practise: you can start by thinking of all the instances where you already automatically use “they” in the singular. For example, if you receive a phone call but the caller hangs up, you may be likely to say, “I don’t know, they hung up” when someone asks you who called.
What other instances can you think of where you have already begun to normalize the use of “they” as a singular pronoun?
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals
On this page Introduction: Writing to or about non-binary individuals The term “non-binary” General recommendations Always listen and follow the individual’s lead Pronouns and neopronouns The singular “they” Neopronouns Variations in pronoun use Courtesy titles and nouns Gender-inclusive courtesy titles Gender-inclusive nouns Additional information Introduction: Writing to or about non-binary individuals The grammar and sentence structure of the English language provide many options for writing to or about individuals whose genders do not align with the man-woman binary. By applying readily available tools of the language while respecting individuals’ diverse identities, we can create much more inclusive spaces for non-binary people through our writing. This article will discuss tools and basic principles for working toward this goal. The term “non-binary” It’s important to note that “non-binary” is not the universal or only term used by individuals who identify outside of the strict binary categories of “man” and “woman” or “male” and “female.” There are other terms that individuals use to more accurately describe their experience and identity outside of the gender binary, including the following: agender genderqueer gender nonconforming bigender genderfluid In addition, some Indigenous people identify as Two-Spirit or identify with a more specific term from their community’s history and language. These identities are rooted in traditional understandings of sexuality and gender that are not related to Western and colonial binary categories. All of the above terms can describe very different experiences and are not interchangeable with each other or with the term “non-binary.” At the same time, the experiences of people who do identify with the term “non-binary” can also be very diverse, and not everyone will feel comfortable with the same pronouns or forms of address. This article sets out general guidelines based on common practices in English. It can provide a respectful start, but there’s no substitute for following the lead of the individual concerning how they refer to themselves and how they want to be referred to. Note that when the term “non-binary” is used in this article, it is for the sake of brevity and not to imply that “non-binary” is the universal term for all individuals outside of binary gender. General recommendations In formal writing in English, we often don’t need to refer to an individual’s gender at all. Applying the basic gender-inclusive writing techniques will help you avoid making assumptions about the gender of people you’re writing to or about. In cases where gender is unknown or irrelevant, these techniques allow you to write inclusively by avoiding gendered pronouns (“he” or “she”), gendered courtesy titles (“Mr.,” “Mrs.” or “Ms.”) and gendered nouns (for example, “chairwoman”). In this way, these techniques do contribute to creating a comfortable environment for individuals who identify outside of the gender binary. However, different considerations apply when you’re writing to or about a specific individual whose gender is known to be outside of the gender binary. Some of the techniques may be similar, but in these cases, the main focus should be on what is requested by the specific individual. Always listen and follow the individual’s lead In a positive and inclusive workplace, people of all genders may clearly signal how they want to be referred to. For example, they might include their pronouns and occupational titles in their signature block provide basic information about their pronouns or occupational titles publicly on the Web (for example, on a professional networking platform) signal, in their own correspondence or in conversation, what pronouns, courtesy titles, occupational titles or nouns they are comfortable having applied to them. Paying attention to these signals is an essential starting point for respectful and inclusive writing, especially about people outside of the gender binary. Every individual is the authority on their own experience and their own identity; non-binary individuals often have an especially strong interest in sharing this information, because it helps to prevent others from making incorrect assumptions about them. If this information is not evident from what is available to you, the best course of action is often simply to ask how the individual would prefer to be referred to and addressed. In many cases, simply asking will be appreciated as a sign of respect for inclusivity. However, please be discreet and mindful of the context when asking an individual to share information about their gender identity with you. For example, it may not be tactful to ask this question of an individual when you’re in a large group setting or on an email chain with many participants. It’s almost always more appropriate to ask the individual privately how to refer to them in a given context or setting. Pronouns and neopronouns In many cases, individuals who do not identify with the binary of “man” or “woman” also do not find the pronouns “he” or “she” to be fully appropriate for them. In English, the singular “they” and its variations provide one readily available solution with a long history in the language. Some individuals, however, use one of a number of other pronouns usually known as neopronouns. And other individuals opt for a combination of pronouns or for different pronouns in different contexts. The singular “they” Some individuals who do not identify with “he” or “she” use “they” as their pronoun. Although “they” is often thought of as a plural pronoun, its use with a singular meaning has a long history in English and is common in informal use. Moreover, it has become standard practice in formal settings: every major language authority includes a section on how to use the singular “they” in reference to a non-binary individual. The table below illustrates the various forms of the singular “they.” Forms of the singular “they” Subject Object Possessive determiner Possessive pronoun Reflexive They prepared the briefing. I acknowledged them. Their briefing was helpful to management. That briefing is theirs. They wrote the briefing themselves [or themself]. As the table shows, the singular “they” has two possible reflexive forms: “themselves” (the standard form) and “themself.” Although “themself” is not yet in widespread use and is labelled non-standard in most dictionaries, it has been approved by some major style manuals or their publishers (for example, Chicago Manual of Style, Modern Languages Association, American Psychological Association) for use in reference to an individual whose pronoun is the singular “they.” Also note: When “they” is used as a subject, verbs that follow it should always be plural (for example, “are” rather than “is”). Example of how to conjugate a verb after the pronouns “she” and “they” With pronoun “she” With pronoun “they” Over the course of a workday, Riley finds that she has to deal with a lot of unexpected situations. Over the course of a workday, Riley finds that they have to deal with a lot of unexpected situations. There is no situation in English in which it would be correct to write “they is” or “they has,” and that does not change as we expand our use of the singular “they” in formal writing. At the same time, the only situation in which we would use a plural verb for a non-binary individual is after the pronoun “they.” A verb that follows the proper name of a non-binary individual, such as Riley in the above example, should always be singular: “Riley is” or “Riley has.” We would never write “Riley are” or “Riley have.” Similarly, if we are referring to Riley by the noun “the manager,” we would never write “the manager are.” In all of these cases, following what sounds intuitive and natural is the best guideline for correct usage. Neopronouns Some individuals use pronouns other than “he,” “she” or “they.” These are generally new words known as neopronouns that have been proposed for the specific purpose of providing non-gendered options. There are any number of possible neopronouns, but an example that has several decades of history is “ze” (pronounced “zee” and sometimes spelled “zie”) and its possessive form “hir” (pronounced “heer”). The forms of the neopronoun “ze” and “hir” Subject Object Possessive determiner Possessive pronoun Reflexive Ze prepared the briefing. I acknowledged hir. Hir briefing was helpful to management. That briefing is hirs. Ze wrote the briefing hirself. Although neopronouns are less commonly used than the singular “they,” it’s essential to respect and affirm individuals in their gender identities and to use their correct pronouns. In contexts where the individual you’re writing about has requested or indicated the use of a neopronoun, follow their guidance, and ask questions if you’re unsure of how to apply the neopronoun in your writing. Variations in pronoun use For many people who identify outside of the gender binary, gender identity is complex. It isn’t always fixed and constant. As a result, pronoun usage can also be complex and shifting. For some individuals, there may be more than one possible pronoun that they find acceptable in reference to them. For example, an individual’s signature block might indicate “she/they” as their pronouns. This generally signals that either set of pronouns (“she/her” or “they/them”) is appropriate to use when writing about that person. In some contexts, however, they might have a stronger preference for one or the other. If you’re unsure which is best to employ, you might want to ask the individual directly. Some individuals, especially those who identify as genderfluid, may prefer different pronouns on different days or occasions. They will often signal these shifts clearly to those around them, and you should respect their identities when you write about them. Non-binary individuals may have pronoun preferences that are strongly context-dependent. There can be many reasons for this, including comfort in workplace contexts that are still insufficiently inclusive. Always be considerate and flexible when an individual expresses which pronouns they want used to refer to them in a given piece of writing. Lastly, some non-binary people may feel entirely comfortable with the exclusive use of “he” or “she” as their pronoun. Courtesy titles and nouns When writing about non-binary people, you’ll need to apply many of the general strategies for gender-inclusive writing and carefully consider your choice of terms and vocabulary. The sections below suggest how you can avoid gendered courtesy titles and nouns. Gender-inclusive courtesy titles When writing to a non-binary person in a formal context, you can omit the gendered courtesy titles “Mr.,” “Ms.” or “Mrs.” and instead use the individual’s full name. Some people who don’t identify with binary gender prefer an alternate courtesy title. In English, the most common gender-neutral title is “Mx.” (most often pronounced “miks”). However, it’s best to check with the individual whether they prefer “Mx.,” a different title or no title at all. Example of a gendered courtesy title and gender-neutral solutions Gendered courtesy title Gender-neutral solutions Ms. Smith has dedicated many years to developing more inclusive solutions to gendered writing. Dylan Smith has dedicated many years to developing more inclusive solutions to gendered writing. Mx. Smith has dedicated many years to developing more inclusive solutions to gendered writing. The same approaches should be applied in the salutation and other contexts in which you’re addressing a non-binary individual directly, as the following table illustrates. Examples of gendered and gender-neutral salutations Gendered salutation Gender-neutral salutation Hello, Mr. Park,Please find attached … Hello, Jiwoo Park,Please find attached … Dear Mr. Park,This message is to follow up … Dear Mx. Park,This message is to follow up … For more information about applying gender-inclusive principles in correspondence, including correspondence addressed to an individual whose gender is simply unknown, see the article Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emails. Gender-inclusive nouns When writing about a person who does not identify with binary gender, take care to use gender-inclusive nouns and terms. For guidelines and examples indicating how to do so, please see the article Gender-inclusive writing: Gender-inclusive nouns. Examples of gendered and gender-inclusive nouns Gendered version Inclusive solution Marie will be taking her maternity leave starting next week. Marie will be taking their parental leave starting next week. I met the new consultant through my brother, Claude. I met the new consultant through my sibling, Claude. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Gender-inclusive nouns Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they” Gender-inclusive writing: Letters and emailsSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Inclusive writing: Quick reference sheet
This quick reference sheet summarizes the main principles of inclusive writing and gives examples of practical techniques you can apply. It also contains a list of resources designed to help you write inclusively. On this page Principles of inclusive writing Gender-inclusive writing techniques Representation of non-binary gender Resources for inclusive and respectful language Printable PDF version of the quick reference sheet Additional information Principles of inclusive writing Our guidelines for inclusive writing are based on five main principles. Apply the technique or techniques that fit your specific situation, taking into account the type of text you’re writing and the audience you’re writing for. When you’re writing to or about someone, use the person’s specified courtesy title and pronouns. Choose words, expressions and examples that are in keeping with diversity so as to avoid stereotypes. Use the principles of inclusive writing in conjunction with the principles of clear and effective communication. Apply inclusive writing techniques throughout each text and throughout all communications within your organization. Gender-inclusive writing techniques Use the techniques outlined below to write gender-inclusively. Use gender-inclusive nouns Technique Examples Replace gendered occupational titles An ombuds (not “ombudsman”) must deal objectively with all requests. Cleaning staff (not “cleaning ladies”) begin work at 6 p.m. Every server (not “waiter” or “waitress”) must wear a uniform. Replace expressions containing “man” or “woman” They fought for the rights of the average person (not “the common man”). Replace gendered terms denoting relationships (in general contexts or in cases where gender is unknown) Members may bring spouses or partners (not “wives or girlfriends”) to the event. The child was picked up by a sibling (not “brother” or “sister”). Replace or omit a gendered pronoun Technique Examples Pluralize the noun Nurses must carefully record their patients’ symptoms (not “A nurse … her patients’ symptoms”). Use the singular “they” Generic singular “they”: If an employee is injured at work, they have a duty to inform their direct supervisor (not “he or she has a duty to inform his or her supervisor”).Specific singular “they” (used by some persons outside the gender binary): Morgan submitted their report. Use an article Each person attending must show a ticket (not “his or her ticket”) upon entry.A student must complete all the required courses (not “his required courses”) by year end. Omit the pronoun No child may participate without parental permission (not “his or her parents’ permission”). Repeat the noun If a first-time user wants to view content on the site, the user (not “he”) must create an account. Address the reader directly You must provide your complete contact information (not “The applicant must provide his or her …”). Use the imperative Ensure that your leave balances are correct (not “Each employee must ensure that his leave balances …”). Use the pronoun “who” A property owner who disagrees with the assessment can file an appeal (not “If a property owner disagrees, he …”). Use the pronoun “one” Numerical “one”: A tenant in Vancouver will probably pay higher rents than one in St. John’s (not “than she would in St. John’s”).Impersonal “one”: Under the Canadian Charter, one has the right to act in accordance with one’s conscience (not “a citizen … his conscience”). Use the passive voice Dependent clause: A server has the right to keep any tips (that are) received from patrons (not “tips that she receives”).Main clause: When the repair person cannot obtain a discontinued part, a generic part will be substituted if possible (not “he will substitute a generic part”). Use sentence fragments The successful administrative assistant will have the following qualities: - attention to detail (not “she will be detail-oriented”) - excellent interpersonal skills (not “she will have excellent interpersonal skills”) Rewrite the sentence The motorist should signal before a lane change and then check to ensure the lane is clear (not “and then he should check”).After finding the ideal property, a home buyer should arrange for a home inspection (not “When he finds the ideal property”).Medical help is on site in case a participant suffers an injury (not “injures himself”) during the event. Make correspondence gender-inclusive Parts of the letter or email Examples Inside address (if receiver’s gender or courtesy title is unknown) Robin MaxwellR. T. Maxwell Salutation (if receiver’s gender or courtesy title is unknown) Dear Robin Maxwell: Dear R. T. Maxwell: Dear Parts Manager: (example of a job title for a receiver whose name is unknown) Dear Homeowner: (example of a gender-inclusive noun for a form letter) Hello, (in an email) Tailor your message Context Examples Tailoring to recipients who are non-binary Use the person’s specified courtesy title if you know it; for example: Dear Mx. Baldwin: Representation of non-binary gender Members of gender-diverse communities have put forward various techniques for writing English texts that correspond to their realities. Since individual usage varies, it's important to respect each person’s wishes with regard to pronouns and courtesy titles. Writing to or about non-binary individuals Issue Recommendations Pronouns and neopronouns When writing about a non-binary individual, use the person’s specified pronoun: singular “they” a neopronoun (for example, “ze/hir”) “he” or “she” Gender-inclusive courtesy titles When writing to or about a non-binary individual, use the person’s specified courtesy title if you know it (for example, “Mx.”) if in doubt, omit the courtesy title, and use the person’s first name or initials with the last name: - Cameron Clarkson - C. R. Clarkson Gender-inclusive nouns When writing about a non-binary person, use terms that are gender-inclusive: “parental leave” (not “maternity leave”) “police officer” (not “policeman” or “policewoman”) “sibling” (not “brother” or “sister”) “spouse” (not “husband” or “wife”) Translating text about non-binary individuals Issue Recommendations and examples Translating the French pronoun “iel” When translating the pronoun “iel,” try to find out what pronoun the person uses in English if you can’t find out the person’s pronoun, use the singular “they” and its forms: French: Iel a lancé sa ligne de vêtements en 2000. English: They launched their clothing line in 2000. Note: A person who uses the gender-inclusive pronoun “iel” in French may use any of a variety of pronouns in English, including neopronouns. Thus, it’s important not to assume that “iel” is always best translated by the singular “they.” Translating other gender-inclusive text When translating a text about a non-binary individual whose gender is unclear, use the singular “they” use the other gender-inclusive techniques listed above Resources for inclusive and respectful language The resources below will help you find the right words to write inclusively and respectfully. List of resources on respectful and inclusive language Title Description Inclusionary: A collection of gender-inclusive solutions A collection of gender-inclusive alternatives to gendered words and expressions. Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology A bilingual guide designed to promote an understanding of concepts related to equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion. Accessibility Glossary A glossary containing 342 concepts in the fields of accessibility, sociology of work and technical aids for persons with disabilities. Gender and Sexual Diversity Glossary A glossary containing 193 concepts related to gender and sexual diversity. Printable PDF version of the quick reference sheet Inclusive writing guidelines and resources: Quick reference sheet (PDF, 412 KB) Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Inclusive writing: Background and principles
On this page Background Definition of inclusive writing Principles of inclusive writing Principle 1: Use what works best Principle 2: Respect people’s wishes Principle 3: Make choices that are respectful of diversity Principle 4: Write clearly and effectively Principle 5: Be consistent Additional information Background There is broad consensus today on the importance of writing more inclusively to promote equity and the equal participation of all members of society. In fact, when people feel respected, understood and represented in communications, they are more inclined to contribute to the community. How can you make your writing inclusive? Whether you’re drafting an email, a report, an advertisement or any other type of document, you can produce an inclusive text, using the key principles listed below, in combination with various inclusive writing techniques (see the section on gender-inclusive writing techniques in the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing). Definition of inclusive writing Inclusive writing is writing that uses a set of principles and techniques designed to accomplish two goals: to promote inclusion and respect for diversity to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability or any other identity factor The terms “gender-inclusive writing” and “gender-neutral writing” are narrower in scope and are used to designate writing that is focused more specifically on equal representation of all genders. Principles of inclusive writing The approach to inclusive writing proposed in our guidelines is based on five key principles that reflect ongoing developments in Canadian society and current English usage. These general principles should serve as a guide to help you in applying the gender-inclusive writing techniques listed on the page Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources. Principle 1: Use what works best Apply the technique or techniques that fit your specific situation, taking into account the type of text you’re writing and the audience you’re writing for. The English language has several techniques you can use to make your writing gender-inclusive. For example, you can use the singular “they” or the passive voice, or address your reader directly. No one technique will meet all your communication needs. You need to consider both the nature of the text and the audience when choosing techniques and combining them to craft a clear piece of writing. For instance, addressing the reader directly can draw the reader in and give your text a more personal touch. On the other hand, using the passive voice can make your text sound more formal. And if you’re writing to non-binary individuals, other techniques might be useful (see our article Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals). Principle 2: Respect people’s wishes When you’re writing to or about someone, use the person’s specified courtesy title and pronouns. Individuals’ wishes vary when it comes to courtesy titles and pronouns (for example, Mr., Ms., Mx., he, she, singular “they”). These wishes must be respected when we’re writing to someone (as in an email) or writing about them (as in a biography). For more information, see our article Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals. Principle 3: Make choices that are respectful of diversity Choose words, expressions and examples that are in keeping with diversity so as to avoid stereotypes. Inclusive writing avoids terminology that conveys bias or stereotypes, puts different genders on an equal footing and accurately reflects the diversity of the population. It is therefore important to choose your words with care. See the section on inclusive and respectful language on the page Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources for more information and for examples of inclusive solutions. Principle 4: Write clearly and effectively Use the principles of inclusive writing in conjunction with the principles of clear and effective communication. The primary objective of communication is to convey a message that is understood by its recipient. A dense or needlessly complex piece of writing can quickly become difficult to understand. You should therefore choose inclusive writing techniques wisely and ensure that clarity is maintained. When properly applied, inclusive writing techniques enable you to produce accurate, concise and impactful texts. Principle 5: Be consistent Apply inclusive writing techniques throughout each text and throughout all communications within your organization. First of all, be consistently inclusive. You shouldn’t be content with using inclusive writing techniques merely in a few passages or solely in the title of your document. A concern for inclusivity should resonate throughout your writing. Be consistent as well in applying inclusive writing techniques. Organizations can help by establishing inclusive writing guidelines to ensure their texts reflect consistent choices. For instance, your organization’s guidelines could indicate in which contexts you should address the reader directly or in which contexts you should use the passive voice. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals Inclusive writing: GlossarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they”
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using “they” as a singular pronoun Difference between generic “they” and specific “they” Historical context Note about “he or she” Additional information Introduction In traditional English grammar, there’s no third-person singular pronoun that is gender-neutral. This creates challenges for writing in a gender-inclusive way, particularly when you aren’t sure of the gender of the person being referred to. A long-established solution is the use of “they” and its forms (“them,” “their,” “theirs,” “themselves”) as singular pronouns. Although “they” is most often used as a plural pronoun, there is near-consensus among language authorities today that it can and should be used as a singular pronoun in formal writing. In many cases, substituting a singular “they” for the gendered pronouns “he,” “she” and “he or she” is the easiest and most effective technique for making a sentence gender-inclusive. Examples of gendered sentences and their inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If any participant still has concerns, he or she should speak to the facilitator after the group meeting. If any participant still has concerns, they should speak to the facilitator after the group meeting. Every subscriber will have had the monthly newsletter delivered to her. Every subscriber will have had the monthly newsletter delivered to them. Everyone should bring his or her access card. Everyone should bring their access card. Each presenter should bring 30 copies of his paper to the conference. Each presenter should bring 30 copies of their paper to the conference. We are asking everyone to double-check that the certificate he or she has received is actually his or hers. We are asking everyone to double-check that the certificate they have received is actually theirs. An introvert usually needs a lot of time to himself or herself. An introvert usually needs a lot of time to themselves [or themself]. Guidelines for using “they” as a singular pronoun Even when “they” is used in the singular, verbs that follow it should always be plural (for example, “are” rather than “is”; “have” rather than “has”). Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution Over the course of a work day, a manager will find that she has to deal with a lot of unexpected situations. Over the course of a work day, a manager will find that they have to deal with a lot of unexpected situations. There is no situation in English when it would be correct to write “they is” or “they has,” and that does not change as we expand our use of the singular “they” in formal writing. It should also be noted that the singular “they” has two possible reflexive forms: “themselves” (the standard form) and “themself”. Although “themself” is not yet in widespread use and is labelled non-standard in most dictionaries, it has been approved for use by some major style manuals. Sometimes, especially when you have more than one noun in a sentence, the singular “they” can make the sentence ambiguous. Consider this example: Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive but unclear solution If a person cannot carry out essential duties, he must be reassigned. If a person cannot carry out essential duties, they must be reassigned. What must be reassigned? The duties or the person? And sometimes, the problem of ambiguity exists in the sentence from the beginning. While the singular “they” can make the unclear sentence inclusive, you still have to deal with the separate problem of ambiguity. Consider this example: Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered and unclear sentence Inclusive and unclear solution If a dispute arises between the client and the service provider, he or she must notify the board in writing. If a dispute arises between the client and the service provider, they must notify the board in writing. The two sentences above with the singular “they” are gender-inclusive, but they still have problems with clarity. In such sentences, the meaning might be clear from the context, so “they” might still be a useable solution. But for any writing where greater accuracy is needed, a different gender-inclusive technique should be considered: Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive but unclear solution Inclusive and clear solution If a person cannot carry out essential duties, he must be reassigned. If a person cannot carry out essential duties, they must be reassigned. A person who cannot carry out essential duties must be reassigned. When a dispute arises between the client and the service provider, he or she must notify the board in writing. When a dispute arises between the client and the service provider, they must notify the board in writing. When a dispute arises between the client and the service provider, the client must notify the board in writing. Difference between generic “they” and specific “they” In the examples in this article, we’ve been using the pronoun “they” to be inclusive in situations where gender is unclear or unknown. This is sometimes called the generic use of “they,” and it’s valuable for gender-inclusive and clear writing in general. But the singular “they” is also used as the chosen pronoun by many individuals who don’t identify with the pronouns “he” or “she,” especially by individuals who are non-binary. This is sometimes called the specific use of the singular “they.” Although the two usages follow the same grammatical rules, they’re distinct and employed for different reasons and in different contexts. For more discussion of the specific use of the singular “they,” please see the article Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals. Historical context The singular “they” has a long history in written English. It has been used by many of the most recognized writers in the English language: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Swift, Byron, Austen, Wilde, Auden. The use of the singular “they” began to be discouraged in the late 1700s by language authorities who favoured the use of “he” as the default pronoun of choice. In recent years, the singular “they” has regained almost all of its acceptability, although this process is still ongoing. Most English-language style guides today recommend the use of the singular “they” as the most straightforward technique for gender-inclusive writing. Note about “he or she” At one time, many writers fell back on the construction “he or she” as a more inclusive alternative to the default “he.” Today, however, almost all style guides recommend against the use of “he or she,” which is often awkward to integrate into more complex sentences and which is not inclusive of individuals who do not identify with either pronoun. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for writing to or about non-binary individuals Personal pronouns The singular “they” is gaining acceptanceSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Gender-inclusive nouns
On this page Introduction: Gendered nouns and inclusive solutions Occupational titles Expressions containing “man” or “woman” Terms denoting relationships Use of the singular “they” with gender-inclusive nouns Additional information Introduction: Gendered nouns and inclusive solutions Many nouns in English are unnecessarily gendered. You might recognize some of these nouns as outdated today, but others may still find their way into your everyday writing. In general, these terms are best avoided because they often contain sexist assumptions and are not inclusive of other genders. Wherever possible, it’s best to replace them with gender-inclusive nouns. Examples of sentences with gendered nouns and their inclusive alternatives Sentence with gendered noun Sentence with inclusive alternative Being a stewardess is a demanding job. Being a flight attendant is a demanding job. Humour is mankind’s greatest blessing. Humour is humanity’s greatest blessing. Guys, we’re running out of time. Everyone, we’re running out of time. An unruly boy or girl should be removed from the activity. An unruly child should be removed from the activity. Occupational titles Over time, many occupational roles and titles have taken on or carried forward an unnecessary gendered component. In most cases, you can use alternative gender-inclusive titles to convey the same meaning. Examples of gendered occupational titles and their inclusive alternatives Gendered occupational title Inclusive alternative stewardstewardess flight attendant waiterwaitress server Many of these gendered occupational titles contain the word “man” or “woman.” Titles using these terms are not inclusive of diverse gender identities. Moreover, it’s rarely necessary to focus on an individual’s gender when describing their occupation; in general, a person’s gender is irrelevant to the job they do and the way they do it. Examples of gendered occupational titles and their inclusive alternatives Gendered occupational title Inclusive alternative chairmanchairwoman chair or chairperson policemanpolicewoman police officer For this reason, too, you should avoid compound expressions such as “male nurse” or “female lawyer” unless the gender distinction is relevant and essential to the context. For example, such a distinction would be relevant and acceptable in the description of an agenda item for a conference addressing the status of women in science and bringing together a panel of top “women scientists.” Finally, it’s good practice to thoroughly review all your documents before they’re published so you can identify and replace any gender-specific occupational titles that are still in common usage. You should almost always use a gender-inclusive title. For further examples, please refer to the Inclusionary. Expressions containing “man” or “woman” In addition to occupational titles, there are many other expressions that contain the word “man” or “woman.” These expressions should also be avoided whenever possible. They often reflect older sexist thinking that takes “man” as the neutral or default (as in “mankind”) or emphasizes an individual’s gender in a context where it’s not relevant (as in “career woman”). They are also not inclusive of non-binary genders. Examples of gendered expressions containing the word “man” or “woman,” and their inclusive alternatives Gendered expression Inclusive alternative the common man the average person mankind humankindhumanitycivilization career woman Use the person’s specific occupation: doctor, engineer, professor, etc. A more detailed list of gendered expressions containing the word “man” or “woman,” along with their gender-inclusive alternatives, is available in the Inclusionary. Terms denoting relationships There are many gendered terms in English to describe relationships between individuals. Unlike gendered occupational titles, these terms don’t have to be avoided at all times. However, it’s important to use gender-inclusive terms in cases where you don’t know an individual’s gender or where you’re writing to or about a group of people of mixed genders. Of course, gender-inclusive terms are also preferred by many individuals who don’t identify with binary genders. Examples of gendered terms describing relationships, and their inclusive alternatives Gendered term Inclusive alternative husbandwife partner or spouse brothersister sibling motherfather parent For a more detailed list of examples and practical alternatives, consult the list of gendered terms denoting relationships and their inclusive alternatives in the Inclusionary. Use of the singular “they” with gender-inclusive nouns When you use a gender-inclusive noun generically, always pair it with a gender-inclusive pronoun in order to preserve inclusiveness. A good practice is to use the singular “they” to refer to generic gender-inclusive nouns. (Of course, if you’re using the gender-inclusive noun in reference to a specific person, you should pair it with that person’s specified pronoun.) Example of a sentence that uses a generic gendered noun and pronoun, and its inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The Chairman is responsible for the administration of the board meeting. He brings the meeting to order, manages the proceedings and oversees the votes. The Chair is responsible for the administration of the board meeting. They bring the meeting to order, manage the proceedings and oversee the votes. For more information, read the full article on using the singular “they” in gender-inclusive writing. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they” Gender-inclusive writing: InclusionarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
“Latinx”: What does it mean, and how is it pronounced?
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An English blog post about the term “Latinx” and gender-inclusive writing in Spanish.
You may have recently read this term, or heard people saying “Latin-ex” out loud and been confused. Spanish is my second language, and while I was familiar with the writing convention, I was confused when I started hearing Anglophones in social activism and in news media pronouncing the letter “x,” and using its name rather than its phonetic value. I’ve never heard any word written with an “x” pronounced this way in Spanish, so what’s going on here?
“Latino” and “Latina”
Latino is short for latinoamericano and refers to the culture and people of Latin America, which comprises the countries in the Americas where the official language is Spanish or Portuguese. As a borrowed word with grammatical gender, it’s unique in English because it isn’t anglicized and maintains its masculine and feminine forms, “Latino” and “Latina,” respectively.
Binary grammatical gender
Like French, Spanish has a grammatical gender system, which is binary. There are two categories—masculine and feminine—for all things, and these categories are most often represented by a final “o” or “a.” Words that modify or refer to one another must agree in gender. Grammatical gender also corresponds to human gender, and when it comes to talking about mixed-gender groups or a generic person, the masculine gender is the default. Therefore, los latinos or los latinoamericanos (masculine, plural) is the standard way to refer to Latin American people as a group.
Gender neutrality
Other posts on the Our Languages blog have been about gender-neutral writing in English and French: “Making letters and emails gender-inclusive (opens in new tab),” “Embracing the singular ‘they’ as a gender-neutral pronoun (opens in new tab)” and “Respecter la non-binarité de genre en français (opens in new tab)” (available in French only). As with French, some see the default use of the masculine gender in Spanish as inherently exclusionary when applied to people. Additionally, non-binary people are left without any options. Several solutions for more inclusive writing in Spanish have been used, such as “o/a” or the at symbol (@) because it looks like both an “a” and an “o.” Replacing the gender-marking vowel with an “x” has also become popular.
“X” equals the unknown
This comes from a feminist Spanish writing convention wherein all vowels that mark the gender of a generic person, or group of people, are replaced with the letter “x,” the symbol for the unknown in mathematics. Los latinos becomes lxs latinxsspell l-x-s l-a-t-i-n-x-s.
However, even Spanish speakers who write this way don’t pronounce the “x,” because as a consonant replacing a vowel, it doesn’t follow the rules of Spanish pronunciation. The letter is being used for its symbolic value, rather than its phonetic value. Sometimes in a speech or announcement to a group of people, a speaker will say both standard gender variants of a noun, a phenomenon we’re familiar with in French in Canada. But in everyday speech, most people still follow standard grammar and pronounce the at symbols or x’s as o’s. In Spanish, los latinos and lxs latinxsspell l-x-s l-a-t-i-n-x-s are pronounced identically.
There is a movement to create a neutral, pronounceable, grammatical gender marker, to be used for mixed gender groups and non-binary individuals. The most popular option is to replace gender-marking vowels with e’s, as in les latines.
These new options are very controversial. They are debated heavily and are not accepted by the Real Academia Española. It’s interesting, then, that the term “Latinx” has caught on in English and is being pronounced “Latin-ex.” The pronunciation of the letter “x” as “ex” is strange to me, but I think I understand why it happens.
“Latinx” as an English term
From an Anglophone perspective, there’s an instinct to neutralize terms that vary based on gender, especially after decades of purging gender variance from English professional terms, promoting acceptance of non-binary people, and moving toward gender-neutral writingNote 1 overall. “Latin” is a gender-neutral word in English, but it has been replaced by “Latino” and “Latina” when they refer to people. Because these words describe an ethnic identity partly based on shared language, it’s meaningful that they be borrowed directly, rather than translated, from Spanish. And now the term “Latinx” is emerging as a non-binary replacement for “Latino” and “Latina.”
“Latinx” was first used in English in social activism, so from the moment it entered English, the meaning of the “x” made the vocalization of this letter seem important and obvious to English speakers. They may have asked themselves, “Why change the spelling for a specific goal if it can’t be articulated in speech?” But looking at a single word obscures the rest of the Spanish grammatical gender system, and therefore the pronunciation problem—how would the “x” be pronounced between consonants in plural Spanish words such as lxs empleadxsspell l-x-s e-m-p-l-e-a-d-x-s or unxs amigxsspell u-n-x-s a-m-i-g-x-s?
Perhaps the “e” in place of the “x” will catch on more in the Spanish-speaking world and will then make its way into borrowed words in English. No matter the direction, it will be interesting to see how things progress simultaneously in both linguistic spheres.
Do similar pronunciation phenomena occur in borrowings between English and French in Canada? As a closely related language, French has a similar story to Spanish when it comes to gender-neutral writing,Note 2 but are there any differences? Does the Canadian linguistic or cultural context play a unique role in this movement in French in Canada?
Notes
Note 1
See the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing (opens in new tab), published on the Language Portal of Canada, Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Return to note 1 referrer
Note 2
For information on inclusive language in French, consult Michael David Miller’s Guide de recherche en écriture inclusive (in French only).
Return to note 2 referrer
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Gender-inclusive writing: Pluralize the noun
On this page Introduction Guidelines for pluralizing the noun Additional information Introduction You can often avoid using gendered pronouns by pluralizing the noun that the pronoun refers to. This is because the singular pronouns “he” and “she” are gendered in English, but the plural pronoun “they” is not. Pluralizing the noun can therefore be a quick and easy way to make your sentence inclusive without rewriting it. Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The supervisor must give feedback to her employees monthly. Supervisors must give feedback to their employees monthly. Every visitor must report to the reception desk to receive his temporary pass. All visitors must report to the reception desk to receive their temporary pass. A public official must conduct himself with integrity in the performance of his duties. Public officials must conduct themselves with integrity in the performance of their duties. The applicant must send her application by December 31. Applicants must send their application by December 31. The advisor must inform the graduate student of her responsibilities in regard to course work. The advisor must inform graduate students of their responsibilities in regard to course work. Guidelines for pluralizing the noun Making a noun plural can work well in a formal text that sets out instructions or guidelines. In this kind of writing, you’re usually speaking in a general and collective way, and the intended meaning doesn’t really change when the noun is made plural. But in some cases, pluralizing a noun can lead to a significant change in meaning by shifting emphasis away from the individual and toward the collective. This is especially true in cases such as contracts or legal writing, where the emphasis is on defining the roles and responsibilities that fall on each individual. Here you want to avoid all ambiguity, since subtle changes of meaning or connotation might have major consequences. In these cases, another technique is probably preferable. Example of a gendered sentence, inclusive but unclear solution, and inclusive and clear solution Gendered sentence Inclusive but unclear solution Inclusive and clear solution Each researcher is expected to organize his hours of work, workdays and days of rest in order to suit his specific research project(s), subject to the approval of the employer. Researchers are expected to organize their hours of work, workdays and days of rest in order to suit their specific research project(s), subject to the approval of the employer. Each researcher is expected to organize their hours of work, workdays and days of rest in order to suit their specific research project(s), subject to the approval of the employer. In the gendered sentence above, each researcher is acting on their own to organize their work schedule. That emphasis is lost in the inclusive but unclear solution when the noun is pluralized. However, in the inclusive and clear solution, the emphasis remains on the individual. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they”Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive, non-binary, and gender-neutral language in English writing
Cette page s'ouvrira dans l'interface anglaise du site Web.
An English blog post about the importance of and move toward gender-inclusive, non-binary and gender-neutral language in English writing and translation.
Over the past decade, the importance of gender-inclusive English has become widely recognized, with the Merriam Webster Dictionary adding a non-binary, singular definition of “they” in 2019Note 1 and the Oxford English Dictionary tracing the singular “they” as far back as the 14th century.Note 2 Precisely because of how it denotes humanity without specifying gender, “they” has become a pronoun of choice for many English speakers across gender identities, mirroring similar adaptations by speakers of Arabic, French, Hebrew, Spanish, among other languages.Note 3
But the popularization of “they” and other non-binary third-person singular pronouns such as “ze,” “sie,” etc. represents only one facet of the movement towards gender inclusion in the English language. Other recent linguistic shifts include the widespread use of “cis-” and “trans-” as prefixes, and neologisms such as “polyamorous,” “pansexual,” and “asexual.” These words allow individuals to express and define their gender and sexuality in new ways. They also have valuable collective functions, serving as a shared shorthand for complex identities and relationships, as tools for reshaping social configurations, and touchstones for political movements. For instance, in 2021, when the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled to allow a third adult to be listed on a child’s birth certificate, legal recognition was extended to three-parent families. Inclusive language can also affirm roles that have generally been understood as peripheral to the nuclear family, such as referring to “caregivers” and “guardians,” rather than “parents” or “mothers and fathers,” in acknowledgment of the fact that many children are raised by grandparents, aunts and uncles, or grow up in foster care or in group homes.
Ultimately, however, the practice of gender-inclusive translation is not simply a matter of using the latest English terminology in just the right way. Rather it requires reflection on the connotations of words. Consider how gender biases may be insidiously reinforced through apparently neutral adjectives like “caring,” “nurturing” and “bossy” to describe women and “confident,” “assertive” and “visionary” to describe men. Or how a hasty attempt to be inclusive, such as by saying “women and trans women,” can be harmful, even violently so, since it invalidates trans women as women and reifies biological essentialist views of cis-gender women. Conversely, note how the use of common binary gendered third-person singular pronouns (“she/he”) can shore up the social and legal recognition of trans people.
Sensitivity to the role of gender and sexuality in a particular text also requires an understanding of both the original context of composition and the scope of the translation’s audience, including its potential or future audience. If you are expecting to address a diverse group of people from across the gender spectrum, practices of gender-inclusive translation can include:
Recognizing all self-determined gendered language. When gender pronouns are given in the original text, preserving them in the translation is an act of respect that conveys crucial information to readers about that person’s gender identity. For example: Al shares their pronouns in their email signature; Anna uses both “she” and “they” pronouns.
Favouring non-gendered descriptive terms. Instead of assuming the qualities or attributes of binary gender, refer to the specific features that give meaning to the category in question. For example: “people who are pregnant,” rather than “pregnant women”; “child-bearing parents,” rather than “mothers”; “people with prostates,” rather than “men”; “victims or survivors of domestic violence,” rather than “battered women.”
Leaning on genderless English. Draw liberally on first-person and second-person plural pronouns (“we” and “you”), which are already gender neutral in English. Whenever the gender identity or the pronouns of a specific person are unknown, use the singular “they” or avoid third-person pronouns altogether to ensure that binary gender is not arbitrarily assigned onto the subject. For example: the student asked to speak with their teacher; the person looked up and smiled at someone in the distance.
Above all, gender-inclusive translation involves a commitment to noticing and suspending the assumptions about bodies, gender, and sexuality, and the relationships between them, that are woven into all languages. Given the powerful impact that words can have on how we make sense of ourselves and our connections with others, translation brings a significant opportunity to redress restrictive and often harmful norms and to make space for all genders and sexualities. Respecting human dignity and self-determination, which are at the core of linguistic changes and indeed at the core of all communication, is what matters most.
View references
Airton, Lee. 2019. Gender: Your Guide. New York: Adams Media.
Kapitan, Alex. The Radical Copyeditor Blog (opens in new tab).
Kouri-Towe, Natalie and Myloe Martel-Perry. 2021. Better Practices in the Sexuality Classroom: Teaching Resources and Guides for Sustainable and Equitable Learning (opens in new tab).
Notes
Note 1
See the article “Merriam-Webster dictionary adds 'they' as nonbinary pronoun (opens in new tab)” in The Guardian.
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Note 2
See the article “A brief history of singular ‘they’ (opens in new tab)” on the Oxford English Dictionary blog.
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Note 3
See the Washington Post article “A guide to how gender-neutral language is developing around the world (opens in new tab).”
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Source
Natalie Kouri-Towe and Danielle Bobker’s article “Gender Inclusive, Non-Binary, and Gender-Neutral Language in English Writing (opens in new tab)” was originally published in Issue 155 (Summer 2022) of Circuit magazine.
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
A brief guide to inclusive writing resources
Cette page s'ouvrira dans l'interface anglaise du site Web.
An English blog post about gender-neutral and inclusive writing resources, as well as emerging trends in the field.
When the gender of someone you are writing about is unknown or outside the gender binary, it’s important to avoid references to gender and to write inclusively. In the area of gender-inclusive writing, terminology is constantly evolving. For example, a newer variation of “LGBTQ+,” intended to better represent diverse gender identities, is “2SLGBTQI+.” One of the major changes is that “2S” or “Two-Spirited” is placed in front of the more familiar abbreviation. On a similar note, “x” and “@” have been proposed as symbols for gender neutrality, for example, “Mx.” instead of “Mr.” or “Ms.,” and “Latinx” or “Latin@” instead of “Latino” and “Latina.”Note 1
Should you use “Mx.,” “Latinx” or “Latin@” in your writing? That depends. Such expressions have layers of meaning that are different for different people. A good solution would be to turn to reference materials that have the latest information. Here are some resources that may be helpful in navigating new directions in inclusive writing.
Conscious Style Guide
The Conscious Style Guide website is a compendium of developments in the field of inclusive language. It was founded by Karen Yin, who launched both the website and The Conscious Language Newsletter in 2015. Yin encourages us to think critically about using language in order to avoid unconscious bias. The site also includes the Gender, Sex + Sexuality guide, which focuses specifically on gender inclusivity and lists a wealth of resources.
Justice Canada – Legistics
The Legistics page on Justice Canada’s website includes sections on gender-neutral languageNote 2 and the singular “they.”Note 3 It’s noteworthy that, according to the section on the singular “they,” the Government of Ontario adopted an official policy of using gender-neutral language in all official publications, including bills and regulations, as early as 1985.
A Progressive’s Style Guide
A Progressive’s Style Guide (PDF) is a well-known guide started in 2015 by SumOfUs, a global non-profit advocacy organization. The Guide provides information on a range of issues related to inclusive writing and promotes thoughtfulness and openness about how language is used. SumOfUs consulted a large number of resources and provides terms used by activists and terms avoided or questioned by activists in issue areas including age, disability, health, gender and sex.
The Language Portal of Canada
The federal government’s Language Portal of Canada contains resources on many topics, including inclusive writing, in its Writing Tips Plus tool.
Be sure to check out the Guidelines for Inclusive Writing, which provide practical techniques and solutions in this field.
One of the resources included in the Guidelines is the Inclusionary, along with its French counterpart the Inclusionnaire. The Inclusionary contains a list of more than 100 gendered words with suggestions for more inclusive versions, such as “anchor” or “anchor person” instead of “anchorman” or “anchorwoman.”
United Nations (UN) Guidelines for Gender-Inclusive Language (in six languages)
The UN Guidelines for Gender-Inclusive Language provide best practices and strategies. The Guidelines were developed semi-independently in each of the UN’s six official languages and thus “reflect the specificities and unique features of each language.”
UN Gender-Sensitive Lexicon
The UN’s searchable Gender-Sensitive Lexicon contains 650 terms in English, French, Arabic, Russian and Spanish. The purpose is to fight gender bias and promote gender equality. There are also various associated references.
UNTERM
UNTERM, which is the United Nations Terminology Database, provides up-to-date terminology relevant to the work of the UN in the six UN official languages, plus German and Portuguese.
For example, the research is very recent for the UNTERM entry “genderqueer person,” which is defined as “A person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both or a combination of male and female genders.” The source listed is “Oxford English Dictionary, online version (consulted on 15 June 2022).” The French equivalents provided are “personne de genre queer” and “intergenre,” from a source dated March 2019.
Conclusion
Since inclusive writing is a very current issue, terminology in this area is subject to change, and it’s vital to keep up with developments. Otherwise, even with the best of intentions, we may inadvertently use hurtful, insensitive or inaccurate language. This blog post provides a few resources to help us all write more inclusively.
Notes
Note 1
See the article “A guide to how gender-neutral language is developing around the world” in The Washington Post.
Return to note 1 referrer
Note 2
See the web page Legistics: Gender-neutral Language.
Return to note 2 referrer
Note 3
See the web page Legistics: Singular “They”.
Return to note 3 referrer
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Gender-neutral writing: The pronoun problem
For most of us reared in the 1970s and 1980s, with Ms. magazine, All in the Family reruns and the spread of political correctness, gender-neutral writing is a no-brainer. We don’t automatically refer to people as he and him, and we usually opt for gender-inclusive terms like police officer instead of policeman. Same goes for our younger colleagues. But those schooled in earlier decades learned different lessons. What’s more, all of us, regardless of age, are influenced by the traditional approaches to English grammar and vocabulary that we encounter in material written before sexist language was on the radar (or before there even was radar). No matter what your field, your workplace writing has to be free from gender bias and stereotyping to be viewed as credible and professional. This article, one of two on gender-neutral writing, focuses on the grammatical side of the issue. Working around the pronoun gap Loving English is like loving your family: you have to accept a lot of flaws and peculiarities. One of the most enduring is the lack of a gender-inclusive singular pronoun that can complete a sentence like this: Each writer should develop own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. We have he and she, which are singular but gender-specific; we have it, which is singular but not used for people (at least not in polite discourse); and we have they, which is gender-inclusive but plural. That leaves us with … nothing. There is no singular personal pronoun that encompasses both genders, and attempts to introduce one (among the hopefuls: thon, hes, zhe, hu) have fizzled as fast as the average infomercial diet. English writers, being nothing if not resourceful, have developed a number of workarounds for sentences like the one above. The norm until the final quarter of the twentieth century was to use his, but because of the sexism inherent in preferring the masculine, that approach is now shunned. Use a plural antecedent. Individual writers should develop their own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Eliminate the pronoun. Each writer should develop techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Each writer should develop some favourite [personal, individual, preferred, etc.] techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Switch to first person, second person or imperative. We should develop our own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. You should develop your own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Work to develop your own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. Use his or her (when nothing else works, and if the result isn’t too awkward). Each writer should develop his or her own techniques for avoiding bias in writing. The singular they Absent from the list above is the option exercised most frequently by English speakers, and increasingly by English writers, though some still fret over the matter: Each writer should develop their own tools for avoiding bias in writing. It would be easy to write articles (plural), if not treatises (plural), about the history and acceptability of using they (and related pronouns them, their, theirs, themselves) to refer to singular antecedents. Here’s the Twitter version: The singular they is fine in speech; It’s equally fine in general writing; BUT It’s still avoided by some, especially in formal writing. In the "singular they" war, the antagonists used to divide into the permissive linguists and usage gurus on one side, and the traditionalist grammarians and copy editors on the other. No more. Editorially conservative publications like the Washington Post have accepted the singular they, which was voted 2015 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society. Nowadays, even persnickety editors and language professionals are fine with the construction if it sounds natural, if no other approaches work well and if it’s a way of avoiding the clunky he or she. Here’s a rundown of where some current sources stand on using the singular they (ST) in formal writing. In favour Copyediting newsletter (“Singular They, Them, Their, and …” and articles linked to therein, https://www.copyediting.com/singular-they-them-their-and/): This well-respected publication and website for U.S. copy editors notes that ST has reached a tipping point in its acceptability. Fowler’s Modern English Usage (4th ed., 2015): Approves ST with few apologies or caveats, citing Oxford English Dictionary, which tracks ST from sixteenth century on. Says of ST: “The process now seems irreversible.” Justice Canada ("Gender-neutral language," http://canada.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/legis-redact/legistics/p1p...): Presents ST as first option for dealing with troublesome agreement like that in the sentence above. Law Society of British Columbia ("Respectful Language Guideline," Appendix A, https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=1005&t=Respectful-Language-Gui...): Finds ST most acceptable when used with "gender-indefinite antecedents" such as any, each, every, and with singular indefinite pronouns such as anyone, everybody, nobody, someone. Against Practical Grammar: A Canadian Writer’s Resource (3rd ed., 2014): Presents ST as an error in formal English. The Chicago Manual of Style: Recommended ST in 14th edition but recanted in 15th and now 16th editions, which both say ST is considered unacceptable in formal writing. (It can’t be coincidental that the relevant sections of both recent editions were written by Bryan Garner; see "Wishy-washy" below.) Yahoo! Style Guide ("Write gender-neutral copy," https://shopping.yahoo.com/9780312569846-yahoo-style-guide/): Calls ST "a grammatically controversial usage that could provoke criticism." Suggests avoiding it by using other tactics. Wishy-washy Canadian Press Stylebook (17th ed., 2013): Under "Sexism" advises rewording to avoid his or her and adds: "As a last resort, they (them, their) is an increasingly acceptable alternative to he (him, his)." For or against? It’s hard to tell. Editing Canadian English (3rd ed., 2015): Acknowledges that ST has always existed in informal speech and notes its use in informal writing “as a way to circumvent using he or she . . . ” The descriptor “informal” suggests unease about accepting the practice in formal writing. Garner’s Modern English Usage (4th ed., 2016): Says in "Sexism" that ST promises to become the ultimate solution to the agreement and gender problem. But then warns in "Concord" (B) that the lack of agreement is a "seeming sloppiness" that should be used "cautiously because some people may doubt your literacy." Throws up hands in "Pronouns" (D): "Disturbing though these developments [in using the ST] may be to purists, they’re irreversible. And nothing that a grammarian says will change them." Oxford Guide to Canadian English Usage (2nd ed., 2007): In entry for everyone, everybody suggests, through overall tone and emphasis on ST’s history pre–eighteenth century, that the practice is okay. But says that most usage guides "evade the question of what to do in formal writing"—as does this guide itself. Some thoughts from your author I spent my first twenty years as a copy editor and grammar instructor avoiding the singular they and counselling against it in formal writing. Now I’m a convert. For one thing, many of my clients have shifted to more conversational writing, especially for their online material, and the singular they suits their tone. Further, I agree with Fowler’s and Garner’s that the trend toward the construction is irreversible, and I’m willing to change with the times. But I’m willing not because it’s easier to cave than to stand strong (I will never swallow the ungrammatical "feeling badly," for instance) but because there are sound arguments to consider. One involves the history of the usage. In a concise and readable account in the New York Times Magazine (July 26, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/26/magazine/26FOB-onlanguage-t.html), Patricia T. O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman explain that for centuries the universal English pronoun for singular and plural, masculine and feminine, was they. Then along came Anne Fisher (yes, a woman), who in her 1745 grammar book prescribed he as the pronoun of choice to agree with singular indefinite pronouns. Suddenly a practice that had been natural and accepted, embraced by authors from Chaucer to Shakespeare (and later Austen), was smeared. Viewed this way, the singular they may be an "error" in the same way that the split infinitive or the sentence-ending preposition was, until half a century ago, an error: early grammarians labelled it as such with little heed for natural English. Another argument is that we, in western society at least, are questioning the notion of gender as binary. If individuals don’t identify with being a she or a he, what are we to do—deny those people a pronoun? Of course not. They is an elegant choice. A final argument, one I’ve not yet encountered outside my own mind, concerns the similarity between singular indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, somebody) and collective nouns (e.g., team, committee, department). It’s a contradictory yet undisputed point of grammar that collective nouns are treated as singular when their meaning is singular and plural when their meaning is plural: This class is designed for people at the beginner and intermediate levels. It is not suitable for experienced distance runners. (class is singular) The class have wasted two hours arguing over the characteristics of proper footwear. They simply cannot agree. (class is plural) I can’t help but wonder: if collective nouns can change their number according to their meaning, why can’t indefinite pronouns, such as everyone? Like collective nouns, these indefinites convey the sense of more than one, which is why treating them as singular seems unnatural if not illogical. English has other indefinite pronouns that can be either singular or plural according to meaning (e.g., all, any, some, more, most). In fact, in recent decades we’ve seen the once singular none slide into this "sometimes singular, sometimes plural" category. If it can change, why not the other indefinites? That’s my modest proposal for balancing the twin imperatives of grammatical integrity and gender neutrality. Related quiz Test yourself—Gender-neutral writing: The pronoun problemSource : Peck’s English Pointers (articles et exercices sur la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Guidelines for translating from French
On this page Introduction: Gender inclusivity and translation Translating text about non-binary individuals Translating other gender-inclusive text Additional information Introduction: Gender inclusivity and translation The French language presents a different set of challenges and solutions for gender-inclusive writing. Sometimes, this can create ambiguities for translators working with both of Canada’s official languages. Translating text about non-binary individuals When you’re writing about a non-binary individual, note that they may use pronouns in English and French that do not completely correspond. For example, some individuals may prefer the pronouns “they” and “them” in English but choose to use il or elle in French. Likewise, use of the common French neopronoun iel does not always signify that an individual will use the common English gender-inclusive pronoun “they.” Remember to ask and follow the lead of the person in question. However, when you’re not certain which pronouns an individual uses in English, the safest approach to translating iel or other neopronouns will generally be to employ the gender-inclusive “they.” Examples of French sentences using the neopronoun iel and their inclusive English-language translations French sentence Inclusive translation Iel a fondé son entreprise en Nouvelle-Zélande en 1994. They founded their business in New Zealand in 1994. C’est alors qu’iel a commencé à réfléchir à son identité comme personne non binaire. It is then that they started to reflect on their non-binary identity. Aujourd’hui, iel milite pour les droits des personnes non binaires partout dans le monde. Today, they promote the rights of non-binary people throughout the world. « Comment s’est déroulé votre vol? », demanda-t-iel. “How was your flight?” they asked. Translating other gender-inclusive text In French, some sentences about non-binary individuals may avoid the use of pronouns. When the subject’s gender is unclear in the original French sentence, the gender-inclusive “they” is a strong tool for effective translation. However, you may also choose to apply other gender-inclusive writing techniques. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they”Source : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usage
Read up on gender-neutral English and you’re bound to run into the history of the word man. Briefly, it goes like this. In Old English man meant a human being, male or female. The sex-differentiated terms were wer and wif, for males and females respectively. Around the late thirteenth century, wer fell out of use (though as horror fans know, we kept werewolf) and man took its place. Thus, for a time man carried two meanings: the newer one (male human beings) and the older one (all human beings). Now the newer meaning is the predominant one. Critics of gender-neutral usage—those for whom the prospect of changing workman to worker is a needless if not infuriating restriction of personal freedom, in a league with obeying "no smoking" signs or yielding to pedestrians—love this history. They will trot out the dual-sex meaning of man to defend all manner of gender-biased terms, including businessman, fireman, mailman, mankind. Such terms don’t refer exclusively to men, the critics say; they refer to both sexes, because that’s what man used to mean. Comforting as this argument may be to some, it skips over the fact that in our time the male meaning of man outweighs any other. As Editing Canadian English (2nd ed., 2000) notes: "Research has confirmed what was long suspected: when they hear or read the generic man, people form mental pictures of males." Anyone who doubts this should consider this oft-cited (though fictitious) title of a medical paper: "Development of the uterus in rats, guinea pigs, and men." To sidestep the perceived bias, not to mention lack of logic, that results from referring to people as men in modern English, government bodies, companies, publishers and academic institutions have made gender-neutral vocabulary a requirement. Putting that requirement into practice means knowing which words to replace and which to leave alone. Test yourself To measure your GQ (gender quotient), decide which of the following words you would change, in most circumstances, to a gender-neutral alternative. Answer yes, no or iffy. chairman man-made manufactured midwife actress dude manpower manslaughter Mrs. fisherman Iffy. When referring to the position in the abstract, use the gender-neutral chair or chairperson. But if you know and want to specify the sex of the person holding the position, chairman or chairwoman may be fine. Above all, respect the official job title if there is one: if an organization elects a Chair of the Board, consistently refer to that person as chair. Yes. There are many synonyms that allow for the possibility that a woman had a hand in making the thing. Try fabricated, machine-made, artificial, factory-produced, synthetic. No. Don’t assume that all terms that contain man derive from the word man. Words such as manufacture, manipulate, manual and manuscript come from manus, the Latin for "hand" (making manufactured another option for man-made in question 2). No. Midwife is a Middle English combination of the Old English mid (with) and wif (woman). It means a person of either sex who is with a woman giving birth. Iffy. Actress is a feminine form of actor; actor refers to either sex. Many feminine forms, including authoress, poetess and aviatrix, have exited current English, but actress is one of a few to hang on. For how much longer? One Los Angeles Times article says that "over the last decade or so, most thespians of the female persuasion now refer to themselves as actors, not actresses" (see http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/18/entertainment/ca-actress18). Still, we need only look at acting awards to see how divided the usage is. The Screen Actors Guild Awards honour the best male actor and best female actor, while the Oscars go to best actors and actresses. No. For teens and 20-somethings, dude has become the unisex equivalent of guy (as in you guys, which we older dudes use for males, females or both). Says a University of Pittsburgh professor who has tracked the word, "Dude is used mostly by young men to address other young men; however, its use has expanded so that it is now used as a general address term for a group (same or mixed gender), and by and to women" (http://www.pitt.edu/~kiesling/dude/dude.pdf). This gender-inclusivity is confirmed by a later study, entitled "Dude, Katie! Your dress is so cute: why dude became an exclamation," by Muffy Siegel, and no, I am not making that up (see https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Dude,+Katie!+Your+dress+is+so+cute%3A+why...). Yes. Like man-made, this word has many gender-neutral synonyms, among them labour, staff, human resources, workers, personnel, workforce. No. There is no synonym for manslaughter, a category of homicide that comes with a specific legal definition and a complex history of judicial precedent. Any attempt to create a gender-neutral synonym would distort meaning and sacrifice correctness and clarity. Similar words for which we have no reasonable synonyms, and which we should therefore leave alone, are manhole, defenceman and craftsmanship. Iffy. Because the traditional titles Mrs. and Miss indicate marital status, they are not equivalent to Mr., which is silent on whether a man has said "I do." The default honorific for women has therefore become Ms. This blend of Miss and Mrs., until recently thought to have originated in 1949, has now been traced back to a 1901 Massachusetts newspaper article that proposed it as a title that disregarded marital state (see http://www.visualthesaurus.com/cm/wordroutes/hunting-the-elusive-first-ms/). Still, as ubiquitous as Ms. has become, there are women who prefer to be called Mrs. or Miss. So how do you handle women’s titles? If the individual has indicated a preference, then respect it; otherwise, use Ms. And don’t assume that Mrs. is acceptable for any female who is married. There are many happily wedded women (your author included) who would no more call themselves Mrs. than they would wear a whalebone corset. Iffy. Who’d have pegged the rugged world of fisheries as the crucible for gender-neutral language in Canada? Yet that’s what it became in the late 1990s, when federal efforts to replace fisherman with fisher in government documents, coupled with a high-profile Supreme Court decision on native fishing rights, caused a riptide of dissent over what to call people who fish. To complicate matters, many women in the industry resented having their job title changed and insisted on being called fishermen. The "Fissure over Fisher," as it was called in an article on the CBC treatment of the issue (http://www.cbc.ca/news2/indepth/words/fishermen), has since narrowed but not closed. On one side is the government approach: fish harvester is now the official term for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (confirmed in an email to me from the department’s Communications Branch, June 21, 2013). On the other side is general publishing: The Canadian Press Stylebook (16th ed., 2010) states under "Sexism" that "there is not an entirely satisfactory substitute for fisherman, although fisher, fish harvester, fish industry worker, fishing licensees or the phrase fishermen and women are all possibilities"; the Oxford Guide to Canadian English Usage (2nd ed., 2007), in its entry on job titles, singles out fisher as a term that has yet to gain wide acceptance. Even this brief test shows that stamping out gender bias can be tricky. As always, it’s a question of bearing in mind audience, message and clarity, those familiar ingredients of good writing. And as always, it’s a question of having reliable resources. One I can recommend is the Law Society of British Columbia’s "Respectful Language Guideline" (https://www.lawsociety.bc.ca/page.cfm?cid=1005&t=Respectful-Language-Gui...). In particular, check out Appendix A ("Gender-Neutral Language") for a list of terms to avoid and their gender-neutral substitutes. Related quiz Test yourself—Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usageSource : Peck’s English Pointers (articles et exercices sur la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Omit the pronoun
On this page Introduction Guidelines for omitting the pronoun Additional information Introduction Sometimes, you can avoid introducing gender into your sentence by simply leaving out the pronoun altogether. This is most often the case if the sentence is short and simple. Examples of gendered sentences and their inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution An employee may submit his or her allotted vacation days at any time. An employee may submit allotted vacation days at any time. The clerk should file the documents once they are forwarded to him by the client. The clerk should file the documents once they are forwarded by the client. A manager must create a positive environment if she wants to win her employees’ trust. A manager must create a positive environment to win employee trust. An added benefit is that the inclusive sentence is also more concise and direct than the original. Guidelines for omitting the pronoun When you use this technique, make sure the sentence retains its clarity. Pronouns help us be specific in our writing, and removing them without putting anything in their place can result in ambiguous sentences. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive but ambiguous solution Gendered sentence Inclusive but ambiguous solution Inclusive and clear solution Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide her with a performance assessment. Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide a performance assessment. Once a trainee has finished an assignment, make sure to provide the trainee with a performance assessment. In the case above, omitting the gendered pronoun makes the sentence inclusive but also introduces ambiguity. Who should be receiving the performance assessment? The trainee? A manager? Repeating the noun eliminates the ambiguity. Omitting the pronoun can also make your sentences sound more impersonal or unnatural. In that case, you may find that you need to make more significant changes to sentence structure (that is, rewrite the sentence) to avoid using the gendered pronoun. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Gender-inclusive writing: Rewrite the sentence Inclusive writing: GlossarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Use an article
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using an article Additional information Introduction Sometimes you can easily make a sentence gender-inclusive by using an article instead of a pronoun. Try replacing the personal pronoun with a definite article (“the”) or an indefinite article (“a” or “an”). Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If a self-employed individual makes a claim for special benefits, his benefit level will be based on eligible earnings from self-employment and employment as an employee. If a self-employed individual makes a claim for special benefits, the benefit level will be based on eligible earnings from self-employment and employment as an employee. A passport can be refused if an applicant is found to have made false statements on his or her passport application. A passport can be refused if an applicant is found to have made false statements on the passport application. A band chief must submit his or her governance improvement plan for band council review A band chief must submit a governance improvement plan for band council review. Guidelines for using an article You can’t use articles to replace the words “he” or “she,” but you can often use them to replace the words “his” or “her.” If your sentence is short and simple, you may not need to use gendered pronouns to communicate your intended meaning; you can try using “a” or “the.” But read the sentence back carefully to make sure it doesn’t sound ambiguous or unnatural. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
2SLGBTQI+ allyship in language: Words matter
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An English blog post about allyship and fostering inclusion in the workplace through the use of inclusive language.
Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (2SLGBTQI+Note 1) folks often struggle with coming out in the workplace. For many members of the broader 2SLGBTQI+ community, the decision to live authentically at work is contingent on whether they perceive their environment and colleagues to be inclusive.
To foster a healthy culture of civility and inclusiveness in the workplace, allies are needed. An ally is an individual who listens to the needs of a person or group that is targeted and discriminated against, and who speaks out and stands up for them. An ally works to end oppression by supporting and advocating for people who are stigmatized, discriminated against or treated unfairly.
Being an ally is an active role, and allyship is a journey—it’s a constant work in progress and a commitment to learning and to a state of mind.
One way you can demonstrate your allyship to the 2SLGBTQI+ community—and contribute to a workplace that is truly inclusive of everyone—is by using inclusive language.
Here are some insights and tips to use as you build your inclusive communication skills.
What is inclusive language?
While language cannot bruise the skin, it can break the spirit.
We should strive to communicate in a way that builds bridges, breaks barriers and affirms peoples’ truths.
As noted in an article in the American Psychological Association’s student newsletter, “Inclusive language is more than just avoiding the use of a few antiquated or offensive terms and phrases. It is about embracing communication that acknowledges the power differentials and dynamics of our society and their deleterious effects. It is about showing appreciation for the diversity everyone brings to the table.”Note 2 This includes diversity in gender identities, gender expressions, sexual orientations and lived experiences .
The Government of Victoria’s inclusive language guide notes that “inclusive language ensures we don’t leave people out of our conversations or our work.”Note 3 This includes both the people we work with and the people we serve as public servants. Inclusive language should also be applied both when communicating directly with someone and when describing someone who is not present.
Examples of inclusive language include:
introducing yourself with your pronouns, and encouraging others to do the same, instead of assuming gender on the basis of appearances
using gender-neutral words like “Can I get you folks something?” instead of “Can I get you ladies something?”
using person-centered language, which avoids unnecessarily dehumanizing people and reducing them to their gender or sexual identities (for example, saying “gay men” instead of “the gays,” or “a transgender person” instead of “a transgendered”)Note 4
Inclusive language also encompasses a variety of communication modes, including verbal communication, emails, social media, websites and imagery.
Putting inclusive language into practice is a shared responsibility amongst employees of all classifications and levels. We can be leaders in this space regardless of whether we are in an entry-level position or the executive cadre.
Language is fluid
We should all put great thought into how we communicate with and about members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Attitudes can be the most difficult barrier members of the broader 2SLGBTQI+ community face when it comes to achieving full inclusion within the workplace and society.
It’s important to remember that language is a mirror of society's attitudes and perceptions. As such, language is constantly changing and advancing to better encompass new ideas, sentiments and connotations.
Generationally, we have seen huge societal shifts in how we speak of and address the broader 2SLGBTQI+ community. This includes the reclaiming of some terms which were previously used to disparage the community.
Applying inclusive language principles means focusing on the person/people over labels. Listen carefully to how different groups identify themselves and speak of their experiences, and reflect those linguistic choices when communicating with and about these groups. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work.
Impact over intention
When practicing allyship, your good intentions can sometimes miss the mark and lead to unintentional negative impacts. If this happens, one of the most important things to do is to listen and learn from the moment.
When putting inclusive communication into practice, you may make mistakes. That’s okay! Embrace that you are a learner and not necessarily an expert when it comes to understanding the identities and lived experiences of others.
Commit to doing better next time, which may require you to challenge your own unconscious biases, set time aside for self-reflection, and make a commitment to do more learning and listening.
Change is the result of small actions over time. Let’s start today, together.
Notes
1
The + (plus) symbol represents folks who identify with broader sexual- and gender-diverse communities and who use additional terms outside of the 2SLGBTQI+ acronym. For more information on 2SLGBTQI+ terminology and common acronyms, you can visit the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat (opens in new tab).
Return to note 1 referrer
2
Efua Andoh, “Why Inclusive Language Matters (opens in new tab),” Psychology Student Network (September 2022).
Return to note 2 referrer
3
“LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Language Guide (opens in new tab),” Government of Victoria, last reviewed August 18, 2021.
Return to note 3 referrer
4
Examples in this list are taken from “Affirming and Inclusive Language (opens in new tab),” Egale (2022).
Return to note 4 referrer
Source : Blogue Nos langues (billets de collaborateurs et collaboratrices)
Inclusive writing: Tailoring your message
On this page General information about tailoring your message Tailoring to recipients Additional information General information about tailoring your message Tailoring a message consists in adapting a piece of writing to the characteristics of the target audience. To this end, you need to know a little about the people you’re speaking to or about (for example, their gender, ethnic origin or age). The decision to tailor a message to a particular person or group is sometimes up to the individual who is drafting the text. In other cases, this choice is made by the organization, which may need to prepare web pages, forms or email templates customized for different audiences. Tailoring to recipients When you’re speaking to a specific person or a homogenous group, you can show respect by adopting inclusive language and tailoring the message to the characteristics and needs of the recipients. For example: In a letter to a non-binary person, you would use the person’s specified courtesy title (for example, Mx.), if you knew it In a text for young people, you could opt to use a more informal or conversational tone than you would use in a message for adults When a text is intended for a diverse group of people, you can produce several different versions tailored to different subgroups. For example, an organization that works with an immigrant population could provide its website content in several different languages. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: GlossarySource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
Test yourself—Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usage
Is the sentence correct or does it contain a gender neutrality problem? Read the article Gender-neutral writing: Questions of usage to help you out.1. We offer free delivery within a 25-kilometre radius of the store. Our friendly, professional delivery men will unload your new furniture items and place them where you want them.is correcthas a problem2. The fickle heiress spent money lavishly on whoever was her best friend in a given week.is correcthas a problem3. The president of the parent-teacher association tried to manoeuvre her way into every meeting of the school board trustees, even the in camera sessions.is correcthas a problem4. Considered for over a decade to be the model of an English gentleman, Edgar Smythe-Jones saw his reputation crumble when he got drunk aboard a trans-Atlantic flight and made a pass at a stewardess.is correcthas a problem5. Our patented lawn blower reduces the personpower involved in clearing yards and driveways, and consumes a fraction of the electricity of other leading models.is correcthas a problem6. Though she has been widowed for over a decade, Mrs. Boronski can be spotted on her porch each morning with two cups of tea, one for herself and one for her long-mourned husband.is correcthas a problem7. Whenever he visits the Weeping Willow Inn, Marc orders the house ale and the ploughman’s lunch.is correcthas a problemSource : Peck’s English Pointers (articles et exercices sur la langue anglaise)
Gender-inclusive writing: Use the passive voice
On this page Introduction Guidelines for using the passive voice A word of caution about using the passive voice Additional information Introduction You’ve likely been told that you should avoid passive constructions in your writing. However, the passive voice can sometimes be a practical tool for any writer. And if it’s used sparingly, the passive can also be a useful technique for gender-inclusive writing. Turning an active sentence into a passive one is fairly simple. As a general rule, you flip your sentence around so that the object in the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence. This way, you can often eliminate a gender-specific pronoun and make your sentence inclusive. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution If a worker needs to leave early, he should warn his supervisor beforehand. The supervisor should be warned beforehand if a worker needs to leave early. Similarly, you can make a clause within your sentence passive in order to eliminate a gender-specific pronoun. Example of a gendered sentence and an inclusive solution Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The scientist who is drafting a report must use fact-based evidence of the hypothesis (that) she is investigating. The scientist who is drafting a report must use fact-based evidence of the hypothesis (that is) being investigated. Guidelines for using the passive voice The passive voice can come in handy when you want to avoid over-using other gender-inclusive writing techniques. It also lends itself especially well to simple sentences. Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution Every new employee must complete her compulsory training. Compulsory training must be completed by every new employee. Each participant should submit his feedback at the end of the day. Feedback should be submitted by each participant at the end of the day. One partner in a couple may claim all of the couple’s donations on his or her income tax return. All of a couple’s donations may be claimed on one partner’s income tax return. In sentences containing a dependent clause, sometimes you can even eliminate both the subject of the clause and a gender-specific pronoun without changing the meaning of the sentence: Examples of gendered sentences and inclusive solutions Gendered sentence Inclusive solution The game begins when the player places his token on the board. The game begins when the token is placed on the board. A session is opened after the user enters her login credentials. A session is opened after login credentials are entered. A word of caution about using the passive voice Remember that the passive shifts the reader’s focus. When you convert an active sentence into a passive one, the emphasis that was initially on the subject is now transferred to the object. Since you’re omitting the original subject, your message may not be as clear. You should therefore ask yourself if your new passive sentence still conveys your message accurately. Also remember that passive sentences can sometimes make your writing less impactful and elegant. You should therefore think carefully about using the passive and consider whether other techniques might be more suitable. Example of a gendered sentence, a passive but awkward solution and a preferable inclusive solution Gendered sentence Passive but awkward solution Preferable inclusive solution The doctoral candidate must defend her dissertation virtually by the end of the semester. The dissertation must be defended virtually by the doctoral candidate by the end of the semester. Doctoral candidates must defend their dissertation virtually by the end of the semester. Additional information Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources Inclusive writing: Glossary Active voice, passive voice, voice Complex sentenceSource : Writing Tips Plus (difficultés et règles de la langue anglaise)
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