Gender-sensitive Language

"To mean" is not enough if everyone is to be addressed!

The linguistic equal treatment of all genders is a basic prerequisite on the way to implementing gender equality. The general clause that, despite the use of exclusively male terms, women are also meant is outdated and should be avoided at all costs. Instead, texts should be formulated in a gender-appropriate manner. This means addressing all genders equally, making them visible both linguistically and figuratively, and refraining from depicting stereotypical gender perceptions.

With our flyer on gender-sensitive language, we would like to make it easier for you to implement gender-sensitive language in practice by presenting various strategies and giving examples of their application.

You can also find information on the following pages:
https://geschicktgendern.de/
https://www.gew.de/geschlechterbewusste-sprache/sprache/
https://www.frauenbeauftragte.uni-muenchen.de/genderkompetenz/sprache/index.html
https://www.tu-berlin.de/fileadmin/i31/Publikationen/Weitere/KFG-Sprachleitfaden.pdf

In terms of gender-sensitive language, there is no "last word" yet for being inclusive, diverse, and graphically appealing. There are different approaches that can be appropriate for different texts and are constantly evolving. Gendering is a tool!

Last Modification: 27.07.2022 - Contact Person: Webmaster