How Gender-Inclusive Language Influences Our Perception and Society

Gender-inclusive language – often referred to simply as “gendering” – is one of those topics best avoided at family gatherings. At least if you want to prevent people from throwing chicken drumsticks and vegan sausages at each other. More often than not, the debate is driven less by constructive arguments than by emotion on both sides.

Language is deeply personal: it is the tool we use to express our thoughts and feelings and to communicate with others. Depending on the words we choose, we can influence people and bring about change. Language is also a powerful instrument whose impact we should be aware of. It should therefore be used thoughtfully – and I would like to approach the topic of gender-inclusive language with the same care.

Why do people start using gender-inclusive language?

Unlike biological sex – “male” and “female” – gender-inclusive language concerns socially lived or perceived gender identity. The aim is to use language that treats all people equally. But how does this work in the German language?

Traditionally, German often uses the generic masculine form for people and professions. In other words, masculine terms are used even when a feminine form exists. For the majority of the population, this is perfectly sufficient. Many see the debate around gender-inclusive language as a social issue rather than a constructive discussion about linguistic conventions.

After “greenwashing” comes “pinkwashing”

“People who do not use gender-inclusive language are often pushed into a right-wing or semi-conservative corner. (…) People who do use it can easily engage in pinkwashing,” says linguist Dr Ewa Trutkowski in the documentary series beta stories about the future of the German language. But do the negative effects really outweigh the positive ones?

First there was “greenwashing”, now there is “pinkwashing”: adopting social trends in order to present oneself in a positive light has become increasingly common. This applies to both individuals and companies. Rather than viewing this solely as a negative development, however, I would like to shift the focus elsewhere: could there also be benefits in people following such trends? Might it even support the path towards greater equality? Even if the motivation behind gender-inclusive language is selfish, the effects remain the same. Various studies have shown that gender-inclusive language can subconsciously influence our perception and behaviour.

Study after study

A look at other countries suggests that languages with grammatical gender often show deficits when it comes to equality. According to a World Bank analysis, countries with gendered languages tend to have lower rates of female employment, while gender roles are also more likely to follow traditional patterns. These findings do not provide definitive proof of cause and effect, but they do reveal notable correlations.

A study from Sweden illustrates this point. It examined the pronoun “hen”, introduced in 2015 as a gender-neutral alternative to “hon” and “han” – “she” and “he”. The findings indicate that people subconsciously changed their attitudes towards women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, developing a more positive perception of women and sexual minorities.

At the same time, the self-perception of those affected also changed. When both masculine and feminine forms were used for traditionally male professions, women showed greater interest in those careers. Another important finding was that we not only associate stereotypically male professions with men, but also stereotypically female professions with women. These assumptions therefore stem from our language itself, rather than from our expectations. Gender-inclusive language can thus help reduce stereotypes.

Linguist Dr Ewa Trutkowski supports her position with another argument: “I support the generic masculine because it refers to people regardless of gender. It is short, practical, and most people use it this way.” But can the generic masculine truly be regarded as gender-neutral in practice? And is gender-inclusive language really as cumbersome as critics claim?

Is gender-inclusive language really that complicated?

“It’s still complicated,” I often hear – and to some extent, that criticism is justified. For the average person, using gender-inclusive language requires a change in habit. Our brains first need to form new neural connections before gender-conscious language can be used naturally in everyday life. Hanna Pitsch, an examiner for easy-to-read language at Lebenshilfe Braunschweig, illustrates this with a sentence containing the term “Patient*innen”: “It’s difficult because you first have to imagine what it means. For me, simply using the word ‘patient’ would be easiest.”

Even though gender-inclusive language brings many positive effects, there is still work to be done in finding an accessible solution. The Society for the German Language has already advocated gender-sensitive language that remains clear, readable, and grammatically correct. The Duden dictionary has also revised its online edition to make it more gender-inclusive. So far, there are only indications of how and to what extent gender-inclusive language may change society. Yet the consequences of this shift could ultimately prove far more far-reaching than we can currently foresee.