Language and effective equality of women and men

Abstract

The essential purpose of this article is to analyze the international and national legislation that imposes on operators a duty and responsibility to use non-sexist language. It further aims to show that we are not dealing with a minor theoretical question, but rather one that is demanded by the quality of communication and the requirement of certainty that both science-making and its correct application involve. This effort at linguistic correctness must be accompanied by the elimination of androcentrism in concepts and categories scientific-technique as an essential step in building the effective equality of men and women both formally and materially, as established by Organic Law 3/2007 of 22 March for the effective equality of women and men, art.14.11. Finally, it analyses, giving data, the efforts made by the various courts and jurisdictions in Spain in recent years to eradicate sexism in legal language, showing the plurality of resources offered by the Spanish language to end the abuse of the masculine as a false generic.