Gendered Terms Modernization Amendment Act of 2020
Introduced: January 7, 2020
Summary: To articulate the Council’s intention that the D.C. Official Code and its associated organic acts reflect gender equality and gender inclusivity, and amend the D.C. Official Code and its associated organic acts to modernize the language in the laws to reflect the values of gender equity and gender inclusivity.
Councilmember Grosso's Introduction Statement:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As we have now entered the third decade of the twenty-first century, we should ensure that the language of our laws, collected in the District of Columbia Official Code, is modernized and reflective of our values.
Language matters, language holds power, and the language of our laws is especially important.
Currently, our older laws show outdated thinking about gender, with a default to masculine pronouns or to masculinized forms of nouns.
Other laws fail to embody the gender diversity of our community, instead using binary language.
Our values in the District of Columbia have evolved and the language of our laws should too.
For that reason, I am introducing the Gendered Terms Modernization Amendment Act of 2020.
The bill is quite simple in concept—that our laws ought to reflect our modern understanding, where male is not the default and people of all genders are supported.
First, the legislation establishes the Council’s intent that the Code reflect our values, including gender equity and inclusivity.
Second, it amends the D.C. Charter and Home Rule Act to remove patriarchal terms, such as by replacing Chairman with Chairperson.
Lastly, the bill sets out a list of gendered terms throughout the D.C. Code that shall be changed and their replacements, with exceptions for laws that require specific gendered language.
Throughout the years, the Council has recognized the need to update our laws to represent shifts in thinking and language.
But those efforts have often been piece-meal, whereas this bill seeks to tackle the entire Code.
Other jurisdictions such as Sacramento and Detroit have undertaken similar efforts, and the District of Columbia should join their ranks.
This bill is timely as our laws are due for a new codification in the coming few years, during which these changes could be made.
D.C. has long been a leader in women’s rights, transgender rights, and recognizing the gender diversity of our community. The language in our laws should further that commitment.
Thank you and I welcome any co-sponsors.