Gender star

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.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 [https://transvienna.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/z_translationswiss/Studium/Wissenschaftliches_Arbeiten/Geschlechtergerechtes_Formulieren_FischerWolf.pdf]

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).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 ({{Webarchive|url=https://www.fh-potsdam.de/fileadmin/user_upload/gleichstellung/Infomaterial/Gender_Sprachleitfaden_Perko2012__Druck.pdf#page=18|text=PDF: 260 kB, 28 Seiten|wayback=20210918075704|archiv-bot=2023-05-09 19:03:42 InternetArchiveBot}} auf fh-potsdam.de). In 2013 the Free University of Berlin also recommended its use,Freie Universität Berlin, Zentrale Frauenbeauftragte (Hrsg.): Geschlechtergerecht in Sprache und Bild. 20 November 2013, S. 8 ([https://www.oei.fu-berlin.de/institut/_download/leitfaden_gendergerechte_sprache.pdf#page=4 PDF: 560 kB, 9 Seiten] auf fu-berlin.de). as did the University of Cologne in 2014.Universität zu Köln, Gleichstellungsbüro: ÜberzeuGENDERe Sprache: Leitfaden für eine geschlechtersensible Sprache. 6., überarbeitete und erweiterte Auflage. 19 February 2020, p. 19 ({{Webarchive|url=https://gb.uni-koeln.de/e2106/e2113/e16894/2019_Leitfaden_GendergerechteSprache_19022020_32_Poster_Webausgabe_ger.pdf#page=19|wayback=20200326220256|text=PDF: 1,1 MB, 32 Seiten|archiv-bot=2023-05-09 19:03:42 InternetArchiveBot}} auf uni-koeln.de; [https://gb.uni-koeln.de/gendersensible_sprache/index_ger.html Infoseite]).

It began to spread beyond its use in universities from 2015 onwards,Anja Steinhauer, Gabriele Diewald: Richtig gendern: Wie Sie angemessen und verständlich schreiben. Dudenverlag, Berlin 2017, ISBN 978-3-411-74357-5, S. 46. such as in public bodies and government institutions.Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung – Pressemeldung: Empfehlungen zur „geschlechtergerechten Schreibung" – Beschluss des Rats für deutsche Rechtschreibung 16 November 2018. Mannheim, 16 November 2018 ([https://www.rechtschreibrat.com/DOX/rfdr_PM_2018-11-16_Geschlechtergerechte_Schreibung.pdf PDF: 422 kB, 2 Seiten] auf rechtschreibrat.com). The gender star has also been used by the German Green Party since 2015,{{cite web |last1=Meiritz |first1=Annett |date=18 November 2015 |title=Grüne wollen den Gender-* ganz groß rausbringen |url=https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/die-gruenen-machen-geschlechtsneutrale-sprache-zur-pflicht-a-1063228.html |accessdate=5 April 2020 |website=Der Spiegel |language=German}}{{cite news |last1=Riese |first1=Dinah |date=19 November 2015 |title=Die Grünen und der Gender-Star: Mehr als nur Mann und Frau |url=https://taz.de/Die-Gruenen-und-der-Gender-Star/!5254394/ |accessdate=5 April 2020 |website=Die Tageszeitung}} and the Berlin Senate since 2017.{{cite book |last1=Steinhauer |first1=Anja |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aplIDwAAQBAJ |title=Richtig gendern: Wie Sie angemessen und verständlich schreiben |last2=Diewald |first2=Gabriele |date=1 October 2017 |publisher=Bibliographisches Institut Duden |isbn=978-3-411-91250-6 |location=Berlin |page=46 |trans-title=Gendering correctly: How to Write Appropriately and Understandably |oclc=1011112208}}

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.Christiane Hohenstein interview: [https://www.persoenlich.com/gesellschaft/der-genderstern-ermoglicht-diversitat-auf-wortebene Geschlechtergerechte Sprache: „Der Genderstern ermöglicht Diversität auf Wortebene".] In: {{ill|Persönlich.com|de|Persönlich (Zeitschrift)}}. 18 May 2019, retrieved 8 July 2021.

Also in 2019, the {{ill|German Language Association|de|Verein Deutsche Sprache|v=sup}} ({{lang|de|Verein Deutsche Sprache}}; VDS) 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.{{cite web |title=Der Aufruf und seine Erstunterzeichner |url=https://vds-ev.de/gegenwartsdeutsch/gendersprache/gendersprache-unterschriften/schluss-mit-dem-gender-unfug/# |website=Verein Deutsche Sprache |accessdate=5 April 2020 |language=German |date=6 March 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Ian |date=7 March 2019 |title=Gender neutral wording is making German ridiculous, asserts association |url=https://www.dw.com/en/gender-neutral-wording-is-making-german-ridiculous-asserts-association/a-47801450 |accessdate=5 April 2020 |website=Deutsche Welle}}

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.{{cite web |last1=Schlüter |first1=Nadja |title="Das Gendersternchen ist nicht die richtige Lösung" |url=https://www.jetzt.de/hauptsache-gendern/gendern-linguistin-luise-f-pusch-ueber-das-gendersternchen-und-geschlechtergerechte-sprache |website=Jetzt.de |accessdate=5 April 2020 |language=German |date=22 April 2019}}

In 2020, the Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache (GfdS) declared Gendersternchen to be one of the 10 German Words of the Year.{{cite web |title=GfdS Wort des Jahres |url=https://gfds.de/wort-des-jahres-2020-1/ |accessdate=13 December 2020 |language=German}} 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.Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache, Pressemitteilung: [https://gfds.de/klarstellung-ja-zum-gendern/ Klarstellung: Ja zum Gendern!] In: GfdS.de. 26 May 2021, retrieved 27 May 2021.

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.{{Cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Sam |last2=Willsher |first2=Kim |last3=Oltermann |first3=Philip |last4=Giuffrida |first4=Angela |date=2023-11-04 |title=What's in a word? How less-gendered language is faring across Europe |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/04/whats-in-a-word-how-less-gendered-language-is-faring-across-europe |access-date=2024-04-05 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |title=Schools in Saxony are forbidden to use gender language |url=https://cne.news/article/3372-schools-in-saxony-are-forbidden-to-use-gender-language |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=cne.news}} In March 2024, Bavaria banned gender-neutral language in schools, universities and several other public authorities.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-01 |title=Gender ban in Bavaria: This is what happens according to the Ministry of the Interior when it is ignored {{!}} West Observer |url=https://westobserver.com/gender-ban-in-bavaria-this-is-what-happens-according-to-the-ministry-of-the-interior-when-it-is-ignored/ |access-date=2024-04-05}}{{Cite web |date=2024-03-19 |title=German state of Bavaria bans gender-sensitive language in schools and other public bodies |url=https://apnews.com/article/germany-gender-language-bavaria-change-school-grammar-8a0ae45ebf0134627221382d0bbb0ef0 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=AP News}} In April 2024, Hesse banned the use of gender neutral language, including gender stars, in administrative language.{{Cite web |last=robertsemonsen |date=2024-04-03 |title=Germany: Hesse Becomes Second State To Ban Gender Neutral Language |url=https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/germany-hesse-becomes-second-state-to-ban-gender-neutral-language/ |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=europeanconservative.com}}

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.{{Cite news |last=Hudec |first=Jan |date=2024-11-24 |title=Zürich: Alle News zur Abstimmung über die Genderstern-Initiative |url=https://www.nzz.ch/zuerich/zuerich-alle-news-zur-abstimmung-ueber-die-genderstern-initiative-ld.1858680 |access-date=2024-11-25 |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |language=de-CH |issn=0376-6829}}

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