ZDF Gender sensitive language

In 2017 Germany’s Constitutional Court delivered a ruling that allowed for civil registrations of the third gender. This important landmark ruling triggered a journey at the nation’s public broadcaster ZDF, leading to the review of its use of language setting the scene for the organization’s first foray into the issue of language in connection with gender inclusivity.

The following year, ZDF seized the opportunity to tackle gender equality by creating a Gender Inclusive Language Guide for its staff. This was particularly challenging as German is a gendered language. For example, it uses the masculine plural form to address all genders in a single group – including women, men and people who identify as neither. There have been many discussions around the use of asterisks as one possibility in addressing gender identity in plurals. For example, Bürger (literally all MALE citizens but used for everyone) would become Bürger*innen to address the fact that these citizens are not a homogenous group of men.

In short, gender-inclusive language is not a clear-cut pathway. Nonetheless the organization’s equal opportunities officer decided that addressing language came under the diversity heading and began working on a document that would later be known as Fühlen Sie sich angesprochen! Feel addressed!