Spanish Beyond the Gender Binary

Language is a dynamic entity that continuously evolves to reflect the social, cultural, and political changes of a society. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for gender inclusivity in languages all over the world. Latin American Spanish, a rich and diverse language spoken across various countries, is no exception. While the English speaking world continues to debate the use of the singular ‘they’ and how to make day-to-day language as inclusive as possible, many other languages, including Spanish, are in a more challenging position due the gendered nature of their grammatical structures.

Over 40 percent of languages have gendered grammatical systems, including the romance family of languages to which Spanish belongs. While their parent language, Latin, had a five case declensional system, all of the modern day Romance languages have evolved a mainly two-gender system. Spanish grammar assigns one of the two genders to nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, primarily categorized as masculine or feminine. This binary system can lead to exclusion and reinforce gender stereotypes, as it leaves little room for those who identify outside the gender binary or do not conform to traditional gender norms. Consequently, there has been a rising demand for gender-neutral alternatives to foster inclusivity and recognize the diversity of gender identities.

Led by the LGBTQ community there has been a push to create not only gender-neutral pronouns but also to create gender-neutral word endings and to de-gender potentially problematic language. This is however very controversial, and many people have pushed back against the proposed changes either for cultural reasons, such as fears of diluting the cultural heritage of the language, or objections to the way proposed changes can destabilize the grammatical structure of Spanish. Resistance to gender-neutral language also stems from deeply ingrained societal norms and the fear of change. However, linguists often argue that language is a living entity, and adaptations are necessary to ensure it remains relevant and inclusive.

The use of new gender-neutral language varies greatly from country to country, with its use being more popular in Spain, Mexico and Argentina, as well as in Spanish-speaking communities in the US. Even within countries and communities there is considerable variation, with large cities and younger populations generally being more likely to adopt and evolve the newer terms.

Pronouns

Gender-neutral pronouns are a linguistic tool aimed at offering an alternative to those to feel uncomfortable being referred to by a gendered pronoun such as él ‘he’ or ella ‘she’.

The most popular of the proposed alternatives is elle /ayay/, which can easily be used in place of the gendered alternatives and is relatively easy to pronounce.

For example:

Voy a dar el regalo a él. - I am going to give the gift to him.

Voy a dar el regalo a ella. - I am going to give the gift to her.

Voy a dar el regalo a elle. - I am going to give the gift to them. (singular)

This term is still contested and many people still do not recognize it. It was briefly added to the dictionary in Spain by the official linguistic body, The Royal Spanish Academy, before swiftly being removed pending further consultation, potentially due the backlash from linguistic conservatives.

Other suggested neutral pronouns include ‘e’ which has the downside of being confused with the use of the letter used as a replacement for the spanish word ‘y’ when the following word begins with an I sound (as in Me voy con mi madre e hijo. - I am coming with my mother and son). Another is the letter ‘x’ however this is hard to pronounce and has not been as popular as elle, which also has the advantage of being easy to pluralize.

Under the rules of traditional Spanish, if a group of people contains a mixture of genders, it is always necessary to use the masculine ellos, even if the group consists of 99 females and one male, only using the term ellas to describe a wholly female group. Proponents of gender equality and diversity have suggested using elles for mixed groups and groups of unknown gender, removing the implicit privilege of male over female or the assumption that unknown groups are male.

Word Endings

As discussed in the introduction, attempts to make modern Spanish more inclusive go beyond the promotion of a gender-neutral pronoun. One of the main areas which campaigners have focused on is the word endings of nouns. Most nouns in Spanish have a fixed gender, however, those that can be applied to people, especially jobs, roles or societal positions, often have a variable word ending depending on the gender of the person. A common example of this Maestro- a male teacher, and Maestra - a female teacher. As with pronouns the male form is traditionally used when referring to a mixed group or to a person of unknown gender.

Activists have proposed various alternative word endings to indicate a person of neutral gender or to remove gender entirely from these words. Different word endings have differing levels of popularity in different Spanish speaking countries, with each having its own proponents.

Most people in the United States for example will be familiar with the term Latinx, which replaces the gendered O or A ending with a neutral X. This can be used in other words for example describing a mixed or gender neutral group of friends as amigxs.Critics of this word ending variation argue that while it works in written Spanish, it results in words that are impossible to pronounce and does not follow the natural pattern of Spanish speech. Studies focused on social media have found that the term is used mostly in the United States and has a much smaller footprint in countries where Spanish is the primary language.

Other groups have proposed the use of the @ symbol, known as an arroba in Spanish, as an alternative. This suggestion, along with that of using an asterisk *, have the same pronunciation issue as the X. Linguistic purists have also objected to the use of a symbol from outside the alphabet in the spelling of words. The Royal Academy have also been clear in their opposition to their usage in this way. However, despite this criticism, the use of the arroba has persisted, particularly in online communities.

One of the alternatives that is growing in popularity, particularly in Mexico, is the use of the letter E instead of X or a symbol. For example saying latine, maestre or amiges. This has the advantage of being pronounceable and following the Spanish rules of reading words exactly as they are written. Some of the proponents of the X alternative or the arroba, even suggest pronouncing them as an E. One criticism of this alternative is that some gendered nouns already use an E ending for their masculine version, for example presidente - president, or comandante -commander. Others have objected to it on the grounds that it does not sound right and could lead to confusion, particularly for older people who may not be familiar with the newer terms.

In general official communications do not use any of these proposed word endings as none are officially recognized by linguistic authorities, and many people are not familiar with their usage, especially outside of urban centers. There have, however, been movements in many countries, including Mexico, to make the use of gendered nouns more inclusive. This can be done by addressing groups using both endings,for example instead of addressing a group of colleagues or partners as compañeros saying compañeros y compañeras. Alternatively, in written communication, it has become more common to see both endings included, for example, maestro(a) or maestro(a)s. However, these methods have been criticized for being gender exclusive, not allowing space for people who do not identify with either gender, and also for tending to place the masculine ahead of the feminine and potentially reinforcing a problematic gender hierarchy.

Moving Forwards

For those learning Spanish, the idea of the language changing even as we learn it can be worrying, especially when there is no settled consensus about which changes are acceptable and which are not. It is important that we remember, however, that all languages are constantly evolving, and the challenges Spanish faces in adapting to modern demands are being felt by all languages. In your day-to-day usage of Spanish you may not come across any of these terms, however, with their growing popularity, it is worth taking the time to become familiar with them and to understand the way in which they can be used.

The evolving nature of Latin American Spanish reflects the ever-changing society in which it is spoken. The emergence of gender-neutral pronouns and the evolution of word endings are positive steps toward recognizing and including individuals of diverse gender identities. While there is still resistance and challenges to overcome, the push for inclusivity demonstrates a commitment to progress and respect for all members of society. As language continues to adapt, it is crucial to embrace these changes and foster an environment that values and celebrates diversity.

Is there another Spanish language topic that you are struggling with or would like to read an article about? Let us know at communications@naatikmexico.org. You can find our other Spanish language blogs here. 

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