Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Tajani and Lipparini: "From notices to citizens to resolutions, a language more suitable for a better gender balance, useful for overcoming any type of discrimination"
 
Milan, 4 August 2019 – Not a distortion of the Italian language, as the Accademia della Crusca guarantees in its scrupulous indications, but an adaptation to the feminine gender of the language used by the Public Administration. From the most common terms such as director and director, to the more unusual ones such as auditor and auditor, passing from the more discretionary ones today such as councilor and councilor, up to one day even arriving at mayor or mayor. 
These are some of the new words, together with many others, which will become part of the lexicon and documents of the municipal administration. In fact, the guidelines for the adoption of gender equality in the administrative texts and institutional communication of the Municipality of Milan were approved today by the City Council.
 
“Every time the topic of language is introduced into the political debate, we run the risk of an outcry and useless ridicule - says the councilor for Employment Policies, Productive Activities and Human Resources of the Municipality of Milan Cristina Tajani, who continues: “A non-priority issue, they say, forcing neutral formulas, while we don't realize how much violence there is in wanting to decline roles and functions carried out by women into the masculine and for which grammar has no doubts whatsoever. The alibi of priorities is then always used from a conservative perspective. Therefore reassuring us that in conceiving this resolution, which transposes a correct and long ignored national law, no important and urgent issue has been overlooked - concludes councilor Tajani - we give the right visibility to the women of the institution who, being the majority, a large part have in the good reputation of the Municipality of Milan and its innovation. Writing reality for what it is is a theme of justice, nothing more."
 
"Dealing with language - explains the councilor for Participation, Active Citizenship and Open Data, Lorenzo Lipparini - is a very concrete action because there is no change that does not come from a conscious use of terms and words. This resolution addresses the topic of discrimination, starting from linguistic aspects, makes visible and enhances the role of women who work and relate to the Municipality. The resolution follows a motion adopted by the City Council on the initiative of councilor Diana De Marchi, whom I thank. We will work with her and with the Mayor's delegate for Equal Opportunities, Daria Colombo and with the offices for the training and creation of documents, forms and communications following the indications given on the matter by the Accademia della Crusca". 
 
Guidelines that are part of the broader action carried out, in recent years, by the municipal administration in order to guarantee the best gender balance as well as the overcoming of any type of discrimination, even in both written and spoken language. Language which often, today in the forms, documents, texts and communication of the Public Admiration does not reflect the progressive affirmation of women in professions, roles and institutions traditionally the exclusive prerogative of the male gender.
 
Specifically, the provision provides for the establishment of a permanent inter-directional table coordinated by the top management of the Administration with the task of spreading greater awareness of the gender gap and an appropriate linguistic culture within the municipal structure at all levels.
 
Among the objectives pursued by the table, the creation of a cultural and linguistic training program for the organisation's human resources, to overcome the gender gap in the language of the Municipality. The planning of the revision of all administrative texts in force and of the forms aimed at users of municipal services. In addition to promoting the adoption of gender equality in the institutional and administrative communication of investee companies, institutions and companies.