Title: Argentina’s President Javier Milei Implements Ban on Gender-Inclusive Language in Official Documents and Public Administration
Argentina’s President Javier Milei has imposed a ban on gender-inclusive language in all official documents and public administration, as reported by the presidential spokesperson on Tuesday. The far-right libertarian leader continues to execute his socially conservative agenda with this latest move.
Manuel Adornis, the Casa Rosada’s spokesperson, announced during his daily press conference that the ban would prohibit “inclusive language and everything related to the gender perspective throughout the national public administration.”
Spanish is a gender-defined language where most nouns bear masculine “o” endings or feminine “a” endings. To create gender-inclusive language in Spanish-speaking countries, there has been an endeavor to use “x,” “e,” or “@” to generate neutral nouns rather than using “o” or “a.” For instance, the gender-neutral term “Latinx” as opposed to the masculine “Latino” or feminine “Latina.”
Moving forward, “it will not be possible to use the letter ‘e,’ the ‘@’ sign, or the ‘x’,” Adornis stated. He also suggested that people should “avoid the unnecessary use of the feminine in all public administration documents.”
Adornis dismissed the notion that gender-inclusive language covers all demographics, stating, “the language that caters to all sectors is the one we use; it is the Castilian language, it is Spanish.”
The argument that gender-inclusive language covers all sectors has been used as a political tool, according to the spokesperson. This announcement follows the military’s ban on gender-inclusive language after a resolution by the defense ministry.
The debate around gender-neutral language has become a focal point in the culture wars in the Americas, with Milei previously criticizing “gender ideology” – a term that gained prominence among social conservatives who oppose LGBTQ rights.
This change comes after Argentina became the first country in Latin America to offer a different option in the “gender” field of identity documents. In 2021, the government, under former President Alberto Fernández, introduced a new National Identity Document (DNI) for nonbinary people that includes the terminology “x” in the gender field for amended DNIs and passports.
Fernández also employed inclusive language during his speeches, in stark contrast to Milei, who is socially conservative with ties to the American right and opposes abortion rights and has labeled climate change a “lie of socialism.”
Since assuming office last year, Milei has focused on conservative culture war issues. Last week, his administration announced the closure of its anti-discrimination agency, with the Ministry of Justice absorbing its functions.
