Society
Gender-Neutral Language in Federal Law: The Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act
In recent years, there has been rising significance given to the use of gender-neutral language in federal law. The Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act is one legislative piece that aims to tackle this issue.
In federal law, gender-neutral language has gained importance because some languages don’t assign gender to nouns or have neutral terms for people. But it’s not just about language. Numerous gender expressions can’t be confined to binary assumptions, making binary language potentially discriminatory. Thus, adding a gender perspective to inclusive language ensures that writing and speaking don’t discriminate based on sex, social gender, or gender identity.
Supporters of the bill believe society can benefit significantly from using gender-neutral language in federal law. This involves communicating in a manner that doesn’t exhibit prejudice toward any specific sex, social gender, or gender identity. Doing so recognizes and honors the legitimacy of all genders and expressions. Interestingly, research has revealed that incorporating gender-neutral pronouns can heighten perceptions of gender equality and tolerance among the general public.
The road to implementing gender-neutral language in federal law is fraught with obstacles as it is required to veer off traditional grammar and linguistic standards to accommodate gender neutrality. Challenging ingrained assumptions and views is imperative to make gender-neutral language more widely accepted. Using gender-neutral language in federal law has many merits, such as fairness and accuracy, but the idea of change may stir up reluctance in some.
The issue of gender-neutral language in federal law has recently gained traction. Although there are still roadblocks to overcome, the advantages of gender-neutral language in federal law are undeniable to its proponents. Our journey towards an all-inclusive and equitable society begins with embracing and honoring all gender expressions and identities.
References
1. A guide to how gender-neutral language is developing …. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.washingtonpost.com
2. Inclusive and Gender-Neutral Language. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.nih.gov
3. Gender Equality | United Nations. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.un.org/en/global-issues/gender-equality
4. UNITED NATIONS Gender-inclusive language. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.un.org/en/gender-inclusive-language/
5. The struggle of trans and gender-diverse persons. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.ohchr.org
6. Language influences mass opinion toward gender and …. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6708358/
7. The Challenges of Translating Gender Neutral Language. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from terratranslations.com/2022/08/30/gender-neutral-language/
8. Four Dimensions of Criticism Against Gender-Fair Language. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199–019–01108-x
9. The Supreme Court and Gender-Neutral Language. (n.d.) Retrieved August 10, 2023, from digitalcommons.law.ggu.edu
Originally published at https://www.newsbreak.com.
