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This sign, reading Radfahrer absteigen (Cyclists, dismount), has been vandalized with a gender star to make it gender-neutral.

The gender star (German: Genderstern, or diminutive Gendersternchen; lit. 'gender asterisk') is a nonstandard typographic style used by some authors in gender-neutral language in German.[1]

It is formed by placing an asterisk after the stem and appending the feminine plural suffix "-innen". For example, Fahrer ([male] driver, singular & plural) becomes Fahrer*innen (drivers). The gender star makes it possible to refer to all genders while also including non-binary people.[2]

In speech, the gender star is sometimes signalled by a glottal stop.[3][4]

Alternatives to the gender star include Binnen-I (with medial capital I), the gender gap (where an underscore takes the place of the asterisk) or using inherently gender neutral terms, such as 'people' instead of 'man' or 'woman'.[5]

The gender star was named the German Anglicism of the Year in 2018 by the Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache.[6]

Usage

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In 2009, the use of the gender star was proposed by Beatrice Fischer and Michaela Wolf of the Centre for Translation Science at the University of Vienna, as an alternative to the gender gap.[7]

The gender star was initially primarily used in universities. In 2012 it was recommended in a guide published by the Fachhochschule Potsdam (Potsdam University of Applied Sciences).[8] In 2013 the Free University of Berlin also recommended its use,[9] as did the University of Cologne in 2014.[10]

It began to spread beyond its use in universities from 2015 onwards,[11] such as in public bodies and government institutions.[12] The gender star has also been used by the German Green Party since 2015,[13][14] and the Berlin Senate since 2017.[15]

Response

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In 2019, Christiane Hohenstein of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences/ZHAW was asked in an interview if she thought the gender star was a good solution to include not only male and female but also non-binary identities. She responded positively, comparing its use to how the asterisk symbol is used in database queries and praising its ability to express greater inclusivity.[16]

Also in 2019, the German Language Association VDS (Verein Deutsche Sprache) launched a petition against the use of the gender star, saying it was a "destructive intrusion" into the German language and created "ridiculous linguistic structures". It was signed by over 100 writers and scholars.[17][18]

Luise F. Pusch, a German feminist linguist, criticises the gender star as it still makes women the 'second choice' by the use of the feminine suffix. Pusch prefers the use of the Binnen-I, which she describes as the established feminist solution to the problem.[19]

In 2020, the Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache (GfdS) declared Gendersternchen to be one of the 10 German Words of the Year.[20] The GfdS do not recommend the use of the gender star, however, saying in 2021 that although they support inclusive language when it is understandable, readable and conforms to language rules, they do not believe the gender star fulfils these criteria.[21]

In 2023, the state of Saxony banned the use of gender stars and gender gaps in schools and education, which marks students' use of the gender stars as incorrect.[22][23] In March 2024, Bavaria banned gender-neutral language in schools, universities and several other public authorities.[24][25] In April 2024, Hesse banned the use of gender neutral language, including gender stars, in administrative language.[26]

In 2024, voters in the city of Zurich voted against an initiative that aimed to ban the use of the gender star in government documents. The initiative campaign was led by Cantonal Councillor Susanne Brunner of the SVP.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Loxton, Rachel (1 November 2019). "From Fräulein to the gender star: Germany's language revolution". The Local. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  2. ^ Berger, Miriam (15 December 2019). "A guide to how gender-neutral language is developing around the world". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  3. ^ Bukenberger, Carina (22 January 2020). "Wie spricht man einen Genderstern?". Leonarto (in German). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  4. ^ Stefanowitsch, Anatol (9 June 2018). "Gendergap und Gendersternchen in der gesprochenen Sprache". Sprachlog.de (in German). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. ^ Walser, Franziska (September 2019). "Gender: how fair is the German language?". Alumniportal Deutschland. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Anglizismus des Jahres 2018". Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  7. ^ Beatrice Fischer, Michaela Wolf: Leitfaden zum geschlechtergerechten Sprachgebrauch: Zur Verwendung in Lehrveranstaltungen und in wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten. Institut für theoretische und angewandte Translationswissenschaft, Universität Graz, March 2009, p.5 [1]
  8. ^ Gudrun Perko: Sprache im Blick: Leitfaden für einen geschlechtergerechten Sprachgebrauch. Herausgegeben vom Gleichstellungsrat der Fachhochschule Potsdam, 2012, ISBN 3-934329-53-5, S. 18–19: Empfehlungen (Archived (Date missing) at fh-potsdam.de (Error: unknown archive URL) auf fh-potsdam.de).
  9. ^ Freie Universität Berlin, Zentrale Frauenbeauftragte (Hrsg.): Geschlechtergerecht in Sprache und Bild. 20 November 2013, S. 8 (PDF: 560 kB, 9 Seiten auf fu-berlin.de).
  10. ^ Universität zu Köln, Gleichstellungsbüro: ÜberzeuGENDERe Sprache: Leitfaden für eine geschlechtersensible Sprache. 6., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. 19 February 2020, p. 19 (Archived (Date missing) at gb.uni-koeln.de (Error: unknown archive URL) auf uni-koeln.de; Infoseite).
  11. ^ Anja Steinhauer, Gabriele Diewald: Richtig gendern: Wie Sie angemessen und verständlich schreiben. Dudenverlag, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-411-74357-5, S. 46.
  12. ^ Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung – Pressemeldung: Empfehlungen zur „geschlechtergerechten Schreibung" – Beschluss des Rats für deutsche Rechtschreibung 16 November 2018. Mannheim, 16 November 2018 (PDF: 422 kB, 2 Seiten auf rechtschreibrat.com).
  13. ^ Meiritz, Annett (18 November 2015). "Grüne wollen den Gender-* ganz groß rausbringen". Der Spiegel (in German). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  14. ^ Riese, Dinah (19 November 2015). "Die Grünen und der Gender-Star: Mehr als nur Mann und Frau". Die Tageszeitung. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  15. ^ Steinhauer, Anja; Diewald, Gabriele (1 October 2017). Richtig gendern: Wie Sie angemessen und verständlich schreiben [Gendering correctly: How to Write Appropriately and Understandably]. Berlin: Bibliographisches Institut Duden. p. 46. ISBN 978-3-411-91250-6. OCLC 1011112208.
  16. ^ Christiane Hohenstein interview: Geschlechtergerechte Sprache: „Der Genderstern ermöglicht Diversität auf Wortebene". In: Persönlich.com [de]. 18 May 2019, retrieved 8 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Der Aufruf und seine Erstunterzeichner". Verein Deutsche Sprache (in German). 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  18. ^ Johnson, Ian (7 March 2019). "Gender neutral wording is making German ridiculous, asserts association". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  19. ^ Schlüter, Nadja (22 April 2019). ""Das Gendersternchen ist nicht die richtige Lösung"". Jetzt.de (in German). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  20. ^ "GfdS Wort des Jahres" (in German). Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  21. ^ Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache, Pressemitteilung: Klarstellung: Ja zum Gendern! In: GfdS.de. 26 May 2021, retrieved 27 May 2021.
  22. ^ Jones, Sam; Willsher, Kim; Oltermann, Philip; Giuffrida, Angela (2023-11-04). "What's in a word? How less-gendered language is faring across Europe". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  23. ^ "Schools in Saxony are forbidden to use gender language". cne.news. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  24. ^ "Gender ban in Bavaria: This is what happens according to the Ministry of the Interior when it is ignored | West Observer". 2024-04-01. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  25. ^ "German state of Bavaria bans gender-sensitive language in schools and other public bodies". AP News. 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  26. ^ robertsemonsen (2024-04-03). "Germany: Hesse Becomes Second State To Ban Gender Neutral Language". europeanconservative.com. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  27. ^ Hudec, Jan (2024-11-24). "Zürich: Alle News zur Abstimmung über die Genderstern-Initiative". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
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