A city in the US has voted to remove what it calls “gender preference language” from its municipal code.
Among the words replaced by the council are “manpower” (with “human effort”), “heirs” (with “beneficiaries”) and “manhole” (with “maintenance hole”).
Gendered pronouns like "he" and "she", meanwhile, are to be replaced with the third person plurals “they” and “them”.
Rigel Robinson, who sits on Berkeley City Council, proposed the ordinance.
He wrote on Twitter: “There is power in language. This is a small move, but it matters.”
According to official city documents, the changes will cost the council US$600.
The proposal put before council stressed the importance of adapting to new expectations among US residents.
Tonight, Berkeley City Council adopted first reading of an ordinance responding to my proposal revising the municipal code to include gender neutral pronouns. There is power in language. This is a small move, but it matters. #berkmtg https://t.co/njo58NYgNw
— Rigel Robinson (@RigelRobinson) July 17, 2019
“In recent years, broadening societal awareness of transgender and gendernonconforming identities has brought to light the importance of non-binary gender inclusivity,” it explained.
“Therefore, it is both timely and necessary to make the environment of City Hall and the language of city legislation consistent with the principles of inclusion.”
