HomeMy WebLinkAboutArticleGender -Neutral Language Written into State Laws Page 1 of 3
LIVE FROM SXSW 2017: U.S. mayors are joining global innovators to discuss
solutions for their biggest challenges. We're reporting live from the scene.
READ MORE
POLITICS
Gender -Neutral Language Written into State Laws
Many states -- Washington being the latest -- have revised decades -old codes and
statutes to remove any gender bias.
BY DYLAN SCOTT 1 APRIL 2013
-'1'
Id 19
A printed Washington law with corrections to make it gender -neutral. (Photo: APITed S. Warren)
http://www. governing. corn/topics/polities/gov-gender-neutral-language-rewritten-into-stat... 3/13/2017
Gender -Neutral Language Written into State Laws Page 2 of 3
Slowly but surely, "policemen," "firemen" and "ombudsmen" are being erased from
state codes and statutes. They're being replaced by police officers, firefighters and
ombuds. It's part of a nationwide effort to revise state laws to be gender -neutral,
which can sometimes mean rewriting decades -old language passed at a time when
women weren't a big part of the public -sector workforce.
Washington state is currently reviewing its laws for gender -biased terms; the state
plans to complete the revision this year. Some of the words to be whited -out include
"watchmen" and "freshmen" (replaced by "security guard" and "first -year students").
The state had already passed a law in 1983 requiring that new language be gender -
neutral, but now state officials are combing back through state statutes to tweak
every law passed since the state's founding in 1854.
Read the April issue of Governing magazine.
The Evergreen State isn't alone. Florida and Minnesota have recently completed
similar revisions. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures,
roughly half of the states have taken some steps to ensure that all of their official
language is gender -neutral. A few, including New York and Rhode Island, have gone
back to their roots and changed their state constitutions.
"Words matter. Words help shape our perceptions about what opportunities are
available to women and men," says Liz Watson, senior counsel at the National
Women's Law Center, "This is one piece of a much broader effort. Words alone are
not going to achieve all of the things that need to happen. But this is one easy part
for us to do."
Dylan Scott 1 Staff Writer
dscott@governing.com I @dylanlscott
1 comment
LATEST POLITICS HEADLINES
Maryland AG Will Use His New Power to Join Lawsuit Against Trump's Immigration
Ban 1 hour ago
http:/lwww.governing.com/topics/politics/gov-gender-neutral-language-rewritten-into-stat... 3 / 13/2017
Gender -Neutral Language Written into State Laws Page 3 of 3
Redistricting Ruling Bolsters Democrats' Battle in Texas 1 hour ago
Texas State Senator Proposes Satirical Masturbation Regulations for Men 53 minutes ago
Public Records Should Be Easier to Find Under Wisconsin Governor's Order 38 minutes ago
He Passed Out in a McDonald's Parking Lot With a Gun. Then the Ohio Lawmaker Was
Arrested. 23 minutes ago
List of States Fighting Trump's Immigration Ban Keeps Growing 2 days ago
MORE NEWS
http://www.governing.com/topics/polities/goy-gender-neutral-language-rewritten-into-stat... 3/13/2017