In October of last year, the French Sénat voted for an extensive ban on gender-inclusive writing and asserted that French pronouns should continue to take either masculine or feminine forms. This comes in the wake of non-binary pronouns iel and iels taking on more use in daily, informal life. While one would think that this subject would be one reserved for the public’s own discernment, France’s leadership has stepped to proclaim the national stance, with President Emmanuel Macron urging France not to “give in to the tides of time” and reject gender-inclusive writing in order to safeguard the French language.
In this humble American’s opinion, the mission of the Académie française and Macron is noble, but this will ultimately be a losing battle for their perspective. Banning a type of language that is already in active use seems like a ridiculous move that only strives to comfort generations who disagree with non-binary and genderqueer identities; it is equivalent to wearing a blindfold and covering one’s ears while the world continues to move around them—continues to expand in new and beautiful ways around them.
Additionally, as a writer and theatremaker, what good is language if it cannot describe things that happen in our current reality? What good is a language that fears the future? That balks at new concepts? Are our words meant to serve us, or the other way around? And, if a few periods at the end of a word will destroy the unity of a nation (as Macron seems to suggest), then perhaps there are more pertinent issues of stability and morale to focus on regarding public policy—issues that do not have to do with dictating how French citizens view and define themselves.
I think that in many ways, France is noble in its fight to retain and protect the aspects of its culture that are most unique to its history. I’m also aware that as an American, it may seem that I have little say in how another country governs itself—this is all true!
However, as a student of history, of the French language, and of linguistics, I will say that this decisions reeks of defensiveness and a shrinking away from difficult questions. As an American, I also think that every country with a history of colonialism and oppression (including my own country!) must never forget the roots of how suppression begins: with the attempt to police words and, by extension, thoughts.
As an outsider looking in, I have always thought that France as a nation was more defined by its people’s shared history, by conquered struggles, by ethics and morale and artistry and beauty, rather than a shared fear of gender neutral pronouns. I am thus eager to see how this issue develops going forward—as both French and English speakers grapple with both their grammatical structures and the concept of inclusivity.
