Argentina’s Milei bans gender-inclusive language in official documents

The move to ban gender-inclusive language in all official documents and public administration comes as the far-right libertarian continues to implement his socially conservative agenda.

Argentina’s President Javier Milei has banned the use of gender-inclusive language in the government, including in all official documents, the presidential spokesperson said Tuesday, as the far-right libertarian continues to implement his socially conservative agenda. The ban, effective immediately, will prohibit “inclusive language and everything related to the gender perspective throughout the national public administration,” Manuel Adornis, spokesperson for the Casa Rosada, said in his daily press conference. Spanish is a gender-defined language where most nouns are given a masculine “o” ending or a feminine “a” ending. In an effort to create gender-inclusive language in Spanish-speaking countries, there has been a push to use “x,” “e,” or “@” to create general-neutral nouns instead of using “o” or “a.” For example, the gender-neutral term “Latinx” as opposed to the masculine “Latino” or feminine “Latina.” Going forward, “it will not be possible to use the letter ‘e,’ ​​the ‘@’ sign, the ‘x’,” Adornis said, adding that people should also “avoid the unnecessary use of the feminine in all public administration documents.” Adornis rejected the argument that gender-inclusive language covers all demographics of society, saying, “the language that covers all sectors is the one we use; it is the Castilian language, it is Spanish,” he said. “Gender perspectives” have been used as a political tool, the spokesperson said.