A bit of a longer post than usual and probably a more controversial one this week.
The world has been talking about inclusivity and the need to come up with ways to be gender neutral in different languages to meet the demands of a changing society. But how can a language where everything has a gender (even objects and abstract concepts) be really gender neutral? A recent article from the Accademia della Crusca, the Italian authority on the correct use of the Italian language, seems to condemn the exasperated push towards gender neutral at all costs and reminds their readers that a language is a product of its historical evolution, and that artificial solutions may not be the answer to a much more complex discussion. [You can read the full article here: https://accademiadellacrusca.it/it/consulenza/un-asterisco-sul-genere/4018]
Personally, I agree that language is a reflection of how we think and that more inclusive language would show a more inclusive approach to the problem, but what should come first? Is the creation of a new language system enough to change the mindset or would that just become another example of tokenism where we feel we did our part and our conscience is now clean?
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