Sailing is becoming gender-equal: new terms are causing excitement!

Sailing is becoming gender-equal: new terms are causing excitement!

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has recently published a new language guide aimed at using gender-neutral and inclusive terms in sailing. In this context, traditionally gender-specific expressions are replaced by more neutral formulations. The term “man overboard” will in future be replaced by “person in water”, while “sportsmanship” will now be referred to as “sporting behaviour”. These changes are part of a broader initiative that also excludes terms such as “seamanship” and “chairman” and replaces them with more neutral alternatives. In addition, the term “Christian name” is viewed as too religious and is deleted.

Criticism of these changes comes from Conservative MPs such as Sir John Hayes, who describes the new recommendations as “balderdash” and denounces the politics of political correctness. There is also ridicule about the new terms on social media. The association also announced that it would delete the term “BAME” because it was perceived as too vague and exclusionary. In this context, the RYA emphasizes that language has become a political minefield in which it is important to act sensitively.

Context of gender-equitable language

The discussion about gender-equitable language cuts across various areas. An example of this is the guide to gender-equitable language used by the federal authorities in Switzerland. This introduces binding rules for gender-appropriate formulation, which are available in the third, completely revised edition from 2023. Federal institutions are therefore obliged to pay attention to gender-appropriate wording. The guide provides practical instructions that enable existing linguistic resources to be used in a situation-specific manner in order to maximize advantages and minimize disadvantages. The rules vary depending on the language and also include links to the specific requirements for French, Italian and Romansh.

In addition, the University of Potsdam publishes recommendations on gender-inclusive language use, published by the Coordination Office for Equal Opportunities. These recommendations are designed to provide an overview of the current status of the debate on gender-appropriate language and to offer practical guidelines for implementation in everyday study and work life. The aim is to promote inclusivity and improve communication.

conclusion

Developments in the area of ​​gender-equitable language show that social norms and ways of using language are changing. While many see the new recommendations as a necessary step towards inclusivity, there are also critical voices about the changes that question the limits of political correctness. The discussion about language therefore remains a dynamic and complex topic that is becoming increasingly important both in sailing and in other areas of life.

For further information on the guidelines and recommendations, the following sources can be consulted: exxpress.at, bk.admin.ch and uni-potsdam.de.