Sweden Introduces Gender Neutral Pronoun - Building Gender Balanced Business

Already known for being ahead of the curve when it comes to gender balance, Sweden is now pioneering gender-neutrality with the addition of a new personal pronoun to the online version of its National Encyclopedia. The word, “hen,” can be used in place of either “han” (he) or “hon” (she).

• “Hen” was first mentioned in the mid-60s, but this is its first foray into official recognition.

• The purpose of the pronoun is to break down gender roles, but it also solves the linguistic problem of having to use the term “he or she”.

The word has already been hotly debated in the Swedish media as a result of its use in the country’s first gender-neutral children’s book, Kivi och Monsterhund, which also introduces some gender neutral terms for mothers and fathers.

SWEDEN AND GENDER NEUTRALITY

• Sweden has 170 unisex names, an EU record

• Toy seller Leklust published stereotype-defying photos, such as a girl riding a race car, in its new catalog

• The Sweding Bowling Association announced plans to merge male and female tournaments

Read The Voice of Russia‘s full article here