Germany’s Education Minister Karin Prien has announced a ban on the use of gender-neutral language in official documents, marking a significant shift in the country’s language policy. The move prohibits the use of the so-called gender asterisk (e.g. Lehrerin*) and similar forms such as Lehrer_in, which aim to make traditionally gendered words inclusive of non-binary identities.
The Germany gender-neutral language ban applies to all civil servants and official communications. Minister Prien stated that public administration must follow the rules of standard German orthography, as defined by the German Orthography Council, which does not officially recognise gender-neutral forms using symbols or unconventional punctuation.
While Prien stressed her support for inclusive communication, she rejected the use of what she described as non-standard characters in formal writing. Instead, she urged civil servants to use grammatically correct inclusive alternatives, such as “Lehrerinnen und Lehrer” (female and male teachers).
The decision follows similar measures in Italy, where in 2023 the government banned gender-neutral language in schools, citing the protection of traditional grammar. Within Germany, at least five federal states have already implemented comparable restrictions.
Supporters of the ban argue that gender-neutral constructions are confusing and ideologically charged, particularly for older populations. Critics, however, view the policy as a step backward for gender inclusivity and representation.
The Germany gender-neutral language ban reflects growing tensions across Europe regarding the role of language in social policy and identity politics. It remains to be seen how this decision will impact broader efforts toward linguistic inclusivity in the public sector.
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