English inclusive language vs French inclusive language

In English, inclusive language has 3 main objectives:

🤢 Avoiding problematic words and expressions, like not using slurs, etc.

👨‍👩‍👦 Breaking stereotypes by steering clear of stereotypical scenarios in language, like traditional family roles, heteronormativity or cisnormativity.

🧠 Respecting the words people use for themselves, like using people’s pronouns for example.

Gendered languages (French, Spanish, etc.) come with even more challenges regarding inclusion:

👫 Binary options for names and titles: options limit to only masculine and feminine, leaving non-binary individuals invisible (it also exists in English, but way less).

👨‍🎓 Some titles are still used in masculine when talking about women, but mostly when they refer to jobs that are highly valued by society, like “attorney” or “doctor”.

👱‍♂️ Generic masculine: in French, children learn that “the masculine prevails over the feminine”, the masculine is thus used for any group that includes at least 1 man.

Professionals specialised in inclusive language can:

✔ Identify and correct problematic expressions: they are trained to use a language that does not perpetuate stereotypes nor excludes any groups.

👀 Visibilise women and non-binary individuals: they ensure that women and non-binary people are represented in the words and expressions used, promoting visibility and equality.

🌟 Do it according to your editorial line: engaging in inclusive language efforts should align with the level of politisation you are aiming for. There are a lot of ways to use inclusive language in French, but some are more controversial than others.

❓ Have you ever thought about this aspect of translating your contents ?