Quebec’s Minister Responsible for French, Jean-François Roberge, has announced the discontinuation of gender-inclusive writing in government communications aimed at the public. Roberge expressed concerns about the confusion caused by the lack of standardized rules, leading to challenges in maintaining proper French language conjugations.
Government bodies like ministries, organizations, and municipalities are instructed to avoid using gender-neutral terms such as “iel,” “toustes,” “celleux,” “mix,” and “froeur.” Additionally, the practice of abbreviated doublets, which modify words to include both masculine and feminine forms, like “les étudiante.es” (the students) and “les agent•e•s” (the agents), will no longer be permitted.
Inclusive writing has been commonly utilized to encompass all gender identities and prevent defaulting to masculine language forms. Roberge emphasized the importance of inclusivity, stating that individuals using pronouns like “iel” should not feel marginalized as people’s gender identities are diverse and should be respected.
Despite Roberge’s intentions, Victoria Legault, the executive director of Aide aux Trans du Québec, criticized the decision, arguing that it invalidates individuals who use gender-neutral pronouns and deflects attention from more pressing societal issues. Legault urged for better communication between LGBTQIA+ communities and the Quebec government to address concerns collaboratively.
On the other hand, Parti Québécois leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, supported the new policy, citing recommendations from the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) for the standardization and coherence of government communications. Roberge further indicated plans to extend these linguistic changes to the education and healthcare sectors in the future stages of implementation.
